Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, domiciles
people belonging to different parts of the globe and thus, acts as a
common cultural platform for many communities. In Bangkok, you will come
across people from different countries, like China, Japan, India, South
Korea, Europe, America, Nigeria, etc. However, a major chunk of the
populace belongs to ethnic Thai communities. Owing to the huge
percentage of Thai population in the city, Thai Language is the most
widely spoken of all major languages and also forms the official
language of the place.
Moreover, as Thailand never faced any kind of foreign incursion, Thai
language has dominated the linguistic map of the country since ages. In
fact, there are four major Thai dialects, corresponding to the different
regions of the country. The language belonging to the central regions of
the country is called Central Thai or Bangkok Thai. Therefore, in
Bangkok too, the Thai language forms the main language of the city.
Besides, some people also speak minor Thai dialects like Phuan and Lue.
Even though, the Thai language is the most widely used language of
Bangkok, the immigration of various non-Thai communities has led to the
penetration of many other languages in the place. Today, English has
also gained momentum in various commercial and governmental areas and
predominantly, in the tourist locales. Most signs, including traffic
ones, are written in both Thai and English. Besides, English is also
taught in all public schools. Therefore, tourists who do not speak Thai
can take resort to English, to communicate in the city.
If you are keen on conversing in the Thai language, you can purchase a
good phrasebook from a bookstore. Thai people appreciate when tourists
communicate in their language. Besides, this way you can also relate to
the locals. Remember, to suffix sentences with the words 'khrap' and
'kha'. They have no real meaning, but are used to mark a polite verbal
etiquette. Males should use 'khrap', while women should say 'kha'. Apart
from Thai and English, other major languages of Bangkok are Chinese,
Malay, Lao, Mon-Khmer, etc.
