Thai short stories
Easy stories for learners, from your first weeks of Thai to real conversations. Every word is tappable, every sentence has audio.
The short answer
These are short stories written for learners of Thai, for reading practice at your level: life in Bangkok and Chiang Mai with the people of our free course, and Thai legends retold. Each one is levelled: it says after which unit of the course you can read it, and you'll know at least 95% of its words by then. Tap a word for its meaning, play any sentence, open the English only when you need it, then check yourself with a few questions.
Start here
New to Thai stories? These are the easiest ones to begin with.
Not spicy at all ไม่เผ็ดเลย Tom from England says he loves spicy food. Pa Daeng, who makes the best chicken rice on the soi, decides to find out. A1 · Unit 6+ 6 min 
Cheap or good? ของถูก ของดี Nam wants mangoes, and she wants them cheap. Three stalls, three prices, and one lesson every Thai grandmother knows. A1 · Unit 9+ 7 min
All stories by level
6 of 6
Beginner A1
after Units 1 to 10 of the course- Not spicy at all ไม่เผ็ดเลย Tom from England says he loves spicy food. Pa Daeng, who makes the best chicken rice on the soi, decides to find out. A1 · Unit 6+ 6 min
- Cheap or good? ของถูก ของดี Nam wants mangoes, and she wants them cheap. Three stalls, three prices, and one lesson every Thai grandmother knows. A1 · Unit 9+ 7 min
Elementary A2
after Units 11 to 18 of the course
Where's Khao Niao? ข้าวเหนียวอยู่ไหน Krit's café in Nimman has fast wifi, good coffee and a white cat called Sticky Rice. Today the cat has disappeared. A2 · Unit 14+ 5 min 
A tiger for Yai เสือให้ยาย Emma wants to buy a shirt for Fon's grandmother at the Sunday market. One wrong tone, and she asks for a tiger instead. A2 · Unit 17+ 6 min
Intermediate B1
after Units 19 to 24 of the course
Boss and the monkey บอสกับลิง Boss is back from a trip to Krabi, with a story about the cheekiest monkey on the Andaman Sea. B1 · Unit 21+ 5 min 
Mae Nak of Phra Khanong แม่นาคพระโขนง Bangkok's most famous ghost story: a young wife promises to wait for her husband to come home from the war, and keeps her promise even after she dies. B1 · Unit 24+ 6 min
How to read a Thai story
- 1 Pick one at your levelEach story says after which unit of the free course you can read it. If it's your first, start with a beginner story: it should feel easy.
- 2 Read it once for the storyDon't stop at every word. Tap the words you need (new words are highlighted) and keep going. Only open the English when you're lost.
- 3 Read it again with the audioPlay the whole story and follow the highlighted sentence, or go one sentence at a time and say each one after the voice.
- 4 Answer the questionsA few questions at the end show you how much you understood. In the app, keep the new words: they come back in your reviews.
Questions people ask
Are there Thai stories for complete beginners?
Yes. The beginner stories use only the words of the first units of our free course, plus a few new words that are highlighted and explained. Each story says after which unit you can read it, and you'll know at least 95% of its words by then: enough to follow the story and pick up the rest from context.
How do I practise reading Thai with a story?
Read a sentence, tap any word you don't know, then play its audio and read along. Only open the English when you're stuck. Read the whole story once for the gist, then again with the audio, and answer the questions at the end. Reading a story twice teaches more than reading two stories once.
Do I need to read Thai script?
No. Every word has romanization with its tone marked, so you can read the stories before you know the alphabet. When you're ready, switch the reader to Thai only in its reading settings (the Aa button) and use the stories as reading practice.
Are the stories free?
Yes, every story is free to read here, with audio, translations and questions. Read them in the app to save your progress, earn XP and keep the new words in your daily reviews.
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