Thai for the airport, taxis and Grab
From the arrivals hall to the back seat: asking for the meter, telling the driver where, a few directions, stop here, and paying without fuss.
The short answer: you need five phrases. ขอมิเตอร์ครับ khǒr mí-dtêr khráp (meter, please), ไปที่นี่ bpai thîi-nîi (go here, while you show the map), ตรงไป dtrong bpai (go straight), จอดที่นี่ jòt thîi-nîi (stop here) and ขอบคุณครับ khòp-khun khráp (thank you). Swap the ending for ค่ะ khâ if you're a woman. Everything else on this page is comfort, not necessity.
At the airport
Signs at both Bangkok airports are in English, so the Thai here is for the people, not the signage. Once you're through, you'll want cash for the taxi and a way to say where you're going.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ผ่านศุลกากรแล้วก็ออกได้เลย | phàan sǔn-lá-kaa-kon láew kôr òk dâi loey | through customs, then you can go straight out |
| มีเอทีเอ็มอยู่ใกล้ที่นี่ไหม | mii ee-thii-em yùu klâi thîi-nîi mǎi | is there a cash machine near here? |
| ห้องน้ำอยู่ที่ไหน | hông-nám yùu thîi-nǎi | where's the bathroom |
| ผมพักที่โรงแรมครับ | phǒm phák thîi rong-raem khráp | I'm staying at a hotel (man speaking) |
Follow the signs for the public taxi rank rather than accepting an offer inside the terminal. Metered taxis from the rank are the normal way into town, and the phrases below are all you need once you're in one.
Getting the meter on
Most drivers switch the meter on without being asked. If one quotes a flat price instead, ask for the meter, smile, and if the answer is no, take the next car. It isn't rude. It's how it works.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ขอมิเตอร์ครับ | khǒr mí-dtêr khráp | meter, please (man speaking) |
| เปิดมิเตอร์ด้วยครับ | bpèrt mí-dtêr dûay khráp | turn on the meter, please (man speaking) |
| มิเตอร์ | mí-dtêr | meter |
| ได้ | dâai | can / okay |
| ไม่ได้ | mâi dâai | cannot |
Women swap the ending: say the phrase with ค่ะ khâ instead of ครับ khráp. The ending depends on who is speaking, and the khráp and khâ guide explains the rest.
Telling the driver where
Hotel names in a foreign accent are hard to catch, and Bangkok street names are long. The reliable method is a map on your phone, or the hotel's address card in Thai, plus two words.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ไปที่นี่ | bpai thîi-nîi | go here |
| ไปไหน | bpai nǎi | where are you going (what the driver may ask) |
| ใกล้ | klâi | near |
| ไกล | klai | far |
Those last two differ only by tone, and it's the classic example for a reason.
klâi · near
falling
klai · far
mid
Say near with a fall in your voice, far flat. If a driver repeats your word back with a puzzled look, that's usually the tone. The Thai tones guide walks through all five.
Directions for the last few hundred metres
Once you're close, a few words of direction save a long loop round a one-way system. Say them a little before the turn, not at it.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ตรงไป | dtrong bpai | go straight |
| เลี้ยวซ้าย | líaw sáai | turn left |
| เลี้ยวขวา | líaw khwǎa | turn right |
| ซ้ายมือ | sáai meu | on your left |
| ขวามือ | khwǎa meu | on your right |
| ผ่านเซเว่นแล้วเข้าซอยครับ | phàan say-wên láew khâo soi khráp | go past the 7-Eleven and then turn into the lane |
| จอดที่นี่ | jòt thîi-nîi | stop here |
That 7-Eleven line is more useful than it looks. Bangkok lanes are often known by what's at the mouth of them, and there is nearly always a 7-Eleven.
One more tone to watch: left and late sound alike to an English ear.
sáai · left
high
sǎai · late
rising
Paying and getting out
Pay what the meter says. Small notes help, because a driver may not have change for a large one at the end of a short trip. Tipping isn't expected; rounding up a little is a kindness, not a rule.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| เท่าไหร่ | thâo-rài | how much |
| ทอนสิบบาทครับ | thon sìp bàat khráp | ten baht change |
| ขอบคุณครับ | khòp-khun khráp | thank you (man speaking) |
| ขอบคุณค่ะ | khòp-khun khâ | thank you (woman speaking) |
| ไม่เป็นไร | mâi bpen rai | no worries |
For hearing the price back, see how to say how much in Thai. Numbers are also Days 4 and 5 of the two-week plan.
Grab and Bolt
Ride apps take most of the language out of the journey: the destination and the fare are on the screen before anyone speaks. The Thai that still helps is small talk and manners.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| แกร็บ | kráep | Grab (the app) |
| สวัสดีครับ | sà-wàt-dii khráp | hello (man speaking) |
| สวัสดีค่ะ | sà-wàt-dii khâ | hello (woman speaking) |
| จ่ายในแอป | jàai nai áep | pay in the app |
| ช้ากว่านี้ได้ไหมครับ | cháa kwàa níi dâai mǎi khráp | could you go slower than this? (man speaking) |
A few habits go down well. Greet the driver as you get in. If you've paid in the app, say so rather than fumbling for cash. On a motorbike taxi, the slower-please line is worth having ready, and nobody minds you using it.
BTS and MRT basics
Bangkok's Skytrain (BTS) and underground (MRT) are easy for a visitor: English on every sign and announcement, and the train is often faster than sitting in traffic. You'll barely need Thai, but it's a good place to listen to it.
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| บนรถไฟฟ้า | bon rót-fai-fáa | on the Skytrain |
| รถไฟเร็วกว่าแท็กซี่ | rót-fai rew kwàa tháek-sîi | the train is faster than a taxi |
| ช่องขายตั๋ว | chông khǎai dtǔa | ticket window |
| ขอตั๋วไป-กลับสองใบครับ | khǒr dtǔa bpai-klàp sǒng bai khráp | two return tickets, please (man speaking) |
Keep bags off the seats and let people off before you board. Announcements come in Thai first, then English, which makes the Skytrain a free listening lesson on every ride.
If something goes wrong
| Thai | Romanisation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ไม่เข้าใจ | mâi khâo-jai | I don't understand |
| พูดช้าๆหน่อย | phûut cháa-cháa nòi | please speak a bit slowly |
| ผมหลงครับ | phǒm lǒng khráp | I'm lost (man speaking) |
| ตำรวจท่องเที่ยว | dtam-rùat thông-thîaw | tourist police |
Thai people are generous listeners. Context does a lot of the work in a taxi, because the driver already knows you want to go somewhere. It doesn't do all of it, which is why the tones on near and far are worth five minutes before you fly.
How to practise before you land
- Open the Survival Pack lessons Taxis, Grab & Bolt and Taxis, Grab and getting around. Say each phrase straight after the Thai audio.
- Put ใกล้ klâi and ไกล klai through the free Pronunciation Lab. It draws your pitch against a native reference and scores how close you are.
- Run the whole ride in your head once: hello, meter please, go here, turn left, stop here, thank you.
Questions travellers ask
How do I ask a taxi driver to use the meter in Thai?
Say ขอมิเตอร์ครับ khǒr mí-dtêr khráp if you're a man or swap the ending for khâ if you're a woman. If the driver refuses, take the next taxi at the rank.
How do I tell a Thai taxi driver where to go?
Show the destination on your phone map or the hotel's Thai address card and say ไปที่นี่ bpai thîi-nîi, go here. Add ตรงไป dtrong bpai, เลี้ยวซ้าย líaw sáai, เลี้ยวขวา líaw khwǎa and จอดที่นี่ jòt thîi-nîi for the last stretch.
Do I need Thai to use Grab or Bolt in Thailand?
No. The destination and fare are set in the app. A hello as you get in and a thank you as you get out are enough, and they're appreciated.
Should I tip taxi drivers in Thailand?
It isn't expected. Many people round up to the nearest note or ten baht, and nobody will be offended if you don't.
Can I get by on the BTS without Thai?
Yes. Signs and announcements are in English as well as Thai. Use the ride to listen: announcements come in Thai first, which is free practice for your ear.
More for your trip
Learn enough Thai in two weeks · Your first 48 hours in Bangkok · Ordering street food · Bargaining at markets · All the essential phrases · Thai pronunciation guide
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