PeopleForeigner in Thai
“Foreigner” in Thai is คนต่างชาติkon dtàang-châat; you'll also hear ชาวต่างชาติchaao-dtàang-châat (formal).
foreigner, foreign people noun everyday
- kon mid
- dtàang low
- châat falling
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
Classifier: คนkon · person, people
foreigner (formal: signs, news, forms) noun
- chaao mid
- dtàang low
- châat falling
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
How to use it
คนต่างชาติkon dtàang-châat, "a person of another nation", is the neutral everyday word. News, signs and forms use ชาวต่างชาติchaao-dtàang-châat: some national parks and temples post one ticket price for Thais and another for foreigners. ฝรั่งfà-ràng is narrower, a Westerner.
"Abroad" is a different word, ต่างประเทศdtàang-bprà-têet ("other country"), as in ไปต่างประเทศbpai dtàang-bprà-têet, to go abroad.
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:
- khon tang chat
- kon tang chart
- chao tang chat
- chao dtang chaat
- khon tangchat
More people in Thai
All people
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones