Hello there,

I am getting familiar with basic Thai words and want to hear the sound of the language. I am in Sri Lanka now, but want to check some good websites to download some basics. Any suggestions? Eirik

 

I totally agree that it’s a smart idea to learn some basic Thai words as most people in Thailand don’t speak English except in Bangkok and other big cities. It will make definitely life easier while you’re on the road. Learning a foreign language is never easy. The most important thing is that you have a drive to learn. I’d suggest using YouTube to find good Thai lessons. There are channels that link to good websites for learning the Thai language like LearningThai, ThaiPod101 and LearnThaiWithMod. All of them are good for everyday phrases, and you can hear the pronunciation and tones from Thai teachers. Then there are web sites like LangHub, SpokenThai or ThaiForBeginners, which provide lessons for you to download. Pimsler and Rosetta Stone have good teaching structures and are easy to follow.

The most difficult part of the Thai language is the tones and it’s almost impossible for Thai learners to register the difference in sounds at first. That requires practice and experience of talking so that the sounds sink in.

You can also try the website sharedtalk.com, which deals with many languages and can pair you with a native speaker of the Thai language for direct one-on-one basic conversation. It's best to take a look at them and choose the one you find best suited to what you need.

 

 

Hello

My trip to Thailand is scheduled for next month, and I am excited about it. However, I am nervous about this trip as I have many food allergies including seafood, dairy products and nuts. I will be in Thailand for three weeks and wonder that to do with my diet. I am planning to bring some snacks with me, but they won't last for my entire stay. What are my options?  Pete

 

I am sure many people with food allergies travel to Thailand. I know it sounds difficult to enjoy many of Thailand’s best known dishes but at least you are not letting your allergies stop you travelling.

In Thailand, rich is the main staple, together with meat, vegetables and seafood. For ingredients, Thai cooking uses chilli, coconut milk, garlic, limes, peanuts, fish sauce and shrimp paste. You will need tell restaurants not to put peanuts, fish sauce or milk in your dishes. You have to find the most efficient way to communicate, perhaps by writing down in the Thai language what you must avoid and handing to a waiter. This way, it will be clear and he or she can recommend you dishes on the menu for you to order, and inform the chef accordingly. Basic Thai dishes for you to order include any plain stir-fried dishes (meat or vegetable) without fish sauce. It’s ok to use just garlic for stir-fries. 

From your list of food allergies, seafood is easy to avoid, but seafood products like fish sauce and shrimp paste is something you have to make it clear to restaurants as chefs commonly use them as base ingredients in many Thai dishes. 

Milk may not be used in traditional Thai cooking, but many restaurants use milk to marinade meat, and sometimes use it in tomyam soup instead of pure coconut milk. Popular dishes like papaya salad are not good for you as it contains peanuts, fish sauce and sometimes shrimp paste. 

There are vegetarian restaurants in Bangkok and big cities like Chiang Mai these days and you will find these places heaven for your diet. But remember to tell them about your allergies to nuts as many veggie place love using nuts as key ingredients. Best of luck!