Thai translation: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What thai translation is

A Thai translator converts text between English and Thai, handling the Thai script, levels of politeness and context for business or personal use. Thai is written without spaces between words, and polite particles and forms of address change with the speaker, the reader and the situation.

Signs you need it

  • Your readers are in Thailand or a Thai community abroad, and you need text that reads naturally to them.
  • You have a contract, certificate or notice that must be read in Thai with exact terms.
  • You are publishing a website, menu, product guide or course in Thai and want the wording to sound natural.
  • You have a Thai document that must be read in English for a business, legal or personal purpose.
  • A machine translation has used a level of politeness that is too casual or too stiff for the document.
  • You need a business document where the choice of polite forms and terms matters to the readers.

What the pro does

  • Confirms the readers, the purpose and the level of politeness the document needs.
  • Builds a glossary of names, product terms and titles, with the Thai form of each.
  • Translates the text in Thai script, with word breaks and polite particles placed as Thai readers expect.
  • Checks tone marks and vowel marks on every word, since these change the meaning of Thai words.
  • Reviews the translation for natural phrasing, then returns the file with notes on the politeness choices to approve.

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Word count or page count, and the number of documents.
  • Politeness level needed, such as a casual notice or a formal business document.
  • Subject complexity, such as legal, medical, technical or marketing text.
  • Formatting, such as tables, forms or design files, since Thai text can run differently in length.
  • Whether a second reviewer checks the Thai text.
  • Deadline for delivery.

What a written quote should spell out

  • The word count or page count, and the language direction.
  • The politeness level the translation uses.
  • The glossary step, and who approves the names and terms.
  • Whether a second review and a check of tone and vowel marks are included.
  • The file format returned, and whether the layout is recreated.

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Who will read the Thai text, and what politeness level do they expect?
  • How do you handle names of people and products?
  • Will you check the tone marks and vowel marks in the final text?
  • Will a second person review the Thai text?
  • Can you keep the layout of my forms or tables?
  • Can you show a sample passage on a subject like mine?

Red flags

  • Uses one politeness level for every document without asking the purpose.
  • Writes names in several forms through the same document.
  • Changes names, dates or figures in the translation.
  • Sends a machine translation with no human review and presents it as professional work.
  • Cannot explain the politeness level or the terms chosen.

What you can do yourself

You can list the readers, the names and terms that must stay the same, and whether the document is formal, then have a Thai speaker read a draft. Hire a translator when the document is official, will be published or sent to customers, or contains legal, medical or technical terms where one wrong word changes the meaning.

Licenses and permits

Thai translation is not commonly licensed, so a license is usually not required for this work. Check with the office or organization that will receive the document, since some set their own rules for accepted translations, and ask the translator for Thai samples in your subject as proof of skill.

Thai translation questions

Why is there no space between Thai words?

Thai writing puts spaces between phrases or sentences but not between most words. A translator knows where the word breaks fall, so the text reads smoothly. Ask for the layout to be checked after translation.

How does politeness change the text?

Thai uses polite particles and polite words that change with the speaker's gender and the relationship with the reader. Tell the translator who will read the text, so the politeness matches the situation.

Should I keep English brand names?

Often yes. Company and product names frequently stay in English, although some are written in Thai script for Thai readers. Agree the list in the glossary before translating.

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