I've written in a thread below about my efforts to learn to speak Thai.

One of the problems for an English speaker is that the Thai language cannot be written successfully using our alphabet. There are two problems:

The first is the use of tones which must be right to be understood but which English has no equivalent for. There is no accepted standard for representing them in English and most phrase books have their own system of squiggles and arrows.

Then there are the sounds that Thai uses that aren't used in English. In the nineteenth century a system called The Royal Thai General System of Transcription was developed.

For reasons I will never understand they decided to use the combination "TH" for the English sound "T". Thus the use of the "TH" at the beginning of Thailand.

They then complicated maters even more by using the letter "T" for a sound that is described as between "T" and "D".

Another confusing combination which has been tragically in the news is the combination "PH" which is pronounced as a "P" hence the Island of Phuket is nearer "Pooket" and not "Fooket". (I've highlighted only two examples but there are more)

This transcription system is used in Thailand for street names etc but it takes some thought each time to actually pronounce them even though they appear to be straightforward.

Not many phrase books use this transcription system now so there is no standard which adds to the confusion.

There simply is no alternative to actually hearing a Thai speak.

I've not mentioned another feature of Thai which is that men and women have different personal pronouns and use different "polite particles" but I won't go into that...

Jon B