English is widely spoken in Phuket's tourist areas, but a handful of Thai phrases go a long way and are genuinely appreciated.
Basic phrases
- Sawasdee (ka/khrap) — hello, said with "ka" if you're female, "khrap" if you're male
- Khob khun (ka/khrap) — thank you
- Chai / Mai chai — yes / no
- Aroy — delicious (a well-used compliment for food)
- Tao rai — how much?
- Mai pen rai — "no worries" / "it's fine" — one of the most-used phrases in everyday Thai conversation
- Phet / Mai phet — spicy / not spicy, useful when ordering food
Tone matters
Thai is a tonal language, meaning the same syllable can mean different things depending on pitch — don't worry about getting it perfect, locals are generally understanding and appreciative of any effort from visitors.
The ka/khrap distinction
These small particles, added to the end of many phrases, mark politeness and the speaker's gender — worth using consistently once you've picked up a few phrases, since dropping them can come across as slightly abrupt even when the rest of the phrase is correct.
Reading menus and signs
Thai script is unrelated to Latin script, so don't expect to sound out unfamiliar words — most tourist-area menus and signage include English or numerals for prices, but a translation app's camera feature is a genuinely useful backup for anything written Thai-only.