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Food and drink

Alcohol in Thai

“Alcohol” in Thai is เหล้าlâo when you mean drinks, and แอลกอฮอล์aen-gaw-haw for the substance.

เหล้า lâo

liquor, spirits; alcohol noun

  • lâo falling
  • Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
แอลกอฮอล์ aen-gaw-haw

alcohol (the substance) noun

  • aen mid
  • gaw mid
  • haw mid
  • Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.

How to use it

เหล้าlâo means spirits, and it's also the everyday word for alcohol: ไม่ดื่มเหล้าmâi dùuem lâo, "I don't drink". Thais casually say กินเหล้าgin lâo, "eat liquor", for drinking. แอลกอฮอล์aen-gaw-haw is alcohol as a substance: on labels, in hand gel and in "alcohol-free".

Shops may only sell alcohol at set hours of the day, and not at all on major Buddhist holidays.

Other spellings you'll see

There's no single official way to write Thai in English letters. We mark the tone of every syllable; online you'll also find:

  • laow
  • lau
  • alkohol
  • aen kaw haw

More food and drink in Thai

All food and drink
  • ข้าว kâao Rice
  • ข้าวเหนียว kâao-nǐaw Sticky rice
  • ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง kâao-nǐaw má-mûang Mango sticky rice
  • ส้มตำ sôm-dtam Papaya salad

    papaya salad, som tam

  • ก๋วยเตี๋ยว gǔay-dtǐaw Noodles

    noodle soup

  • ข้าวซอย kâao-sawy Khao soi

    khao soi (Chiang Mai's curry noodle soup)

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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones