How to Learn the Thai Alphabet — Free Online Writing Practice
GorGai is a free interactive tool for learning to read and write the Thai alphabet. Practice writing all 44 Thai consonants (พยัญชนะไทย) on a digital canvas with stroke guides, then test yourself from memory. Whether you're a complete beginner starting from zero or an intermediate learner reviewing tricky letters, GorGai helps you build real handwriting skills — not just recognition.
How to Practice Writing Thai Letters Step by Step
The fastest way to learn Thai handwriting is to combine tracing with active recall. Here's how to use GorGai effectively:
- Start in Outline mode — Trace over the guide character to build muscle memory for each consonant's shape and stroke order.
- Switch to Test mode — You'll see the romanized name and an emoji hint (e.g. 🐔 for ก Gor Gai). Write the Thai letter from memory, then reveal the answer to check.
- Rate yourself honestly — After each letter, mark "Got it" or "Not yet." GorGai tracks your progress so you can focus on the ones you're struggling with.
- Filter by tone class — Drill mid-class consonants one day, high-class the next, or use the "Wrong" filter to revisit mistakes.
- Shuffle regularly — Avoid memorizing the sequence. Shuffle mode forces you to recognize each letter independently.
Even 10-15 minutes of daily Thai writing practice builds lasting muscle memory. Your progress is saved automatically in your browser.
Thai Alphabet for English Speakers — What You Need to Know
If you're an English speaker learning Thai, the alphabet looks intimidating at first. But it's actually more logical than English spelling. Here's how Thai and English compare:
- 44 consonants vs 26 letters — Thai has more consonants because it distinguishes between aspirated and unaspirated sounds (e.g. ก "g" vs ข "kh") that English treats as the same letter.
- No uppercase or lowercase — Every Thai letter has one form. No capitals, no cursive variations.
- Vowels are separate symbols — Thai vowels are written above, below, before, or after consonants. They're not interleaved with consonants like in English words.
- No spaces between words — Thai text runs continuously with spaces only between clauses or sentences. You learn to spot word boundaries as you read more.
- Tonal system — Thai has 5 tones (mid, low, falling, high, rising). Each consonant belongs to a tone class that affects how every syllable sounds. This has no equivalent in English.
- Consistent pronunciation — Unlike English, Thai spelling is highly regular. Once you know the rules, you can pronounce any Thai word correctly from its spelling.
The good news: Thai consonants are individual symbols, not combinations. You don't need to memorize thousands of characters like Chinese or Japanese. With daily practice, most English speakers can read basic Thai within a month.
Complete Gor Gai Chart — All 44 Thai Consonants with Pronunciation
The Gor Gai system (ก ไก่) is how Thai children learn the alphabet. Each of the 44 consonants is paired with a mnemonic word, similar to "A for Apple" in English. The word helps distinguish consonants that share similar sounds. Below is the complete chart organized by tone class.
Mid-Class Thai Consonants (อักษรกลาง) — 9 Letters
ก ไก่ (Gor Gai, chicken), จ จาน (Jor Jaan, plate), ฎ ชฎา (Dor Chadaa, crown), ฏ ปฏัก (Dtor Bpadtàk, goad), ด เด็ก (Dor Dèk, child), ต เต่า (Dtor Dtào, turtle), บ ใบไม้ (Bor Bai Máai, leaf), ป ปลา (Bpor Bplaa, fish), อ อ่าง (Or Àang, basin). Mid-class consonants are the most flexible — they can use all four tone marks and produce a mid tone by default in live syllables.
High-Class Thai Consonants (อักษรสูง) — 11 Letters
ข ไข่ (Khor Khài, egg), ฃ ขวด (Khor Khùat, bottle — obsolete), ฉ ฉิ่ง (Chor Chìng, cymbals), ฐ ฐาน (Thor Thǎan, pedestal), ถ ถุง (Thor Thǔng, bag), ผ ผึ้ง (Phor Phûeng, bee), ฝ ฝา (For Fǎa, lid), ศ ศาลา (Sor Sǎalaa, pavilion), ษ ฤๅษี (Sor Rʉʉsǐi, hermit), ส เสือ (Sor Sʉ̌a, tiger), ห หีบ (Hor Hìip, chest). High-class consonants produce a rising tone by default and only use mai ek and mai tho tone marks.
Low-Class Thai Consonants (อักษรต่ำ) — 24 Letters
ค ควาย (Khor Khwaai, buffalo), ฅ คน (Khor Khon, person — obsolete), ฆ ระฆัง (Khor Rá-khang, bell), ง งู (Ngor Nguu, snake), ช ช้าง (Chor Cháang, elephant), ซ โซ่ (Sor Sôo, chain), ฌ เฌอ (Chor Chooe, tree), ญ หญิง (Yor Yǐng, woman), ฑ มณโฑ (Thor Mon-thoo, Queen Montho), ฒ ผู้เฒ่า (Thor Phûu-thâo, elder), ณ เณร (Nor Neen, novice monk), ท ทหาร (Thor Thá-hǎan, soldier), ธ ธง (Thor Thong, flag), น หนู (Nor Nǔu, mouse), พ พาน (Phor Phaan, tray), ฟ ฟัน (For Fan, teeth), ภ สำเภา (Phor Sam-phao, junk ship), ม ม้า (Mor Máa, horse), ย ยักษ์ (Yor Yák, giant), ร เรือ (Ror Rʉa, boat), ล ลิง (Lor Ling, monkey), ว แหวน (Wor Wǎen, ring), ฬ จุฬา (Lor Jù-laa, kite), ฮ นกฮูก (Hor Nók-hûuk, owl). Low-class consonants produce a mid tone by default and represent the largest group.
How Long Does It Take to Learn the Thai Alphabet?
Learning the Thai alphabet is faster than most people expect. Here's a realistic timeline with consistent daily practice:
- Week 1-2: Recognize all 44 consonants and their tone classes. You can look at a Thai consonant and name it.
- Week 2-4: Write all 44 consonants from memory. Given "Gor Gai," you can draw ก without looking.
- Month 2: Learn vowel symbols and tone marks. Start reading simple Thai words and signs.
- Month 3: Read basic Thai sentences. Understand tone rules well enough to pronounce unfamiliar words correctly.
The key is daily practice, not marathon sessions. 15 minutes per day on GorGai is more effective than a 2-hour session once a week. Use the progress tracker to see how many consonants you've mastered and which ones need more work.
Understanding Thai Tone Rules — A Beginner's Guide
Thai is a tonal language with 5 distinct tones: mid, low, falling, high, and rising. The tone of every syllable depends on three things: the consonant's tone class, any tone mark used, and whether the syllable is "live" or "dead."
This matters because the same syllable with different tones means completely different things. The classic example: "mai" can mean "new" (ใหม่, high tone), "not" (ไม่, falling tone), "silk" (ไหม, rising tone), "burn" (ไหม้, high tone), or function as a question particle (ไหม, rising tone).
Thai Tone Rules for Live Syllables
Live syllables end in a long vowel or a sonorant consonant (ม, น, ง, ย, ว). For mid-class consonants: no mark = mid tone, mai ek (่) = low, mai tho (้) = falling, mai tri (๊) = high, mai chattawa (๋) = rising. High-class consonants default to rising. Low-class default to mid. Only mid-class consonants use mai tri and mai chattawa.
Thai Tone Rules for Dead Syllables
Dead syllables end in a stop consonant (ก, บ, ด) or a short vowel. Mid-class and high-class dead syllables produce a low tone. Low-class dead syllables produce a high tone with a short vowel, or a falling tone with a long vowel.
You don't need to memorize all these rules on day one. Start by learning which consonants belong to which class — that's what GorGai's color-coded tone badges help you do. The rules become intuitive with reading practice.
Tips for Learning Thai Alphabet Fast
- Learn by tone class groups — Start with the 9 mid-class consonants (the smallest and most flexible group), then high-class (11 letters), then low-class (24 letters). Use GorGai's filter chips to isolate each group.
- Use the Gor Gai mnemonics — The animal and object associations (🐔 chicken, 🐘 elephant, 🐢 turtle) make each letter memorable. GorGai shows the emoji and English meaning for every consonant.
- Write, don't just read — Active writing practice builds stronger memory than flashcard recognition alone. Drawing each character forces you to internalize its shape.
- Practice daily in short sessions — 10-15 minutes of daily practice beats an hour once a week. Consistency is more important than duration.
- Focus on mistakes with spaced repetition — Use GorGai's "Wrong" filter to revisit the consonants you're struggling with. Don't waste time drilling letters you already know.
- Write big first, then small — Start by drawing large characters to learn the shape and stroke flow, then gradually write smaller as your confidence grows.
- Learn the look-alike pairs — Some Thai consonants look very similar (e.g. บ vs ป, ด vs ค). Practice these side-by-side to spot the differences early.
Thai Alphabet FAQ
How many letters are in the Thai alphabet?
The Thai alphabet consists of 44 consonants (พยัญชนะ), 21 vowel forms (สระ), 4 tone marks (วรรณยุกต์), and several other diacritical marks. GorGai focuses on the 44 consonants, which are the foundation of Thai writing. Two consonants (ฃ Khor Khuat and ฅ Khor Khon) are obsolete in modern Thai but are still included in the official alphabet count.
Is Thai hard to write for English speakers?
Thai script looks complex at first, but each consonant is a single character with consistent stroke patterns. Unlike Chinese or Japanese, Thai does not use thousands of characters — just 44 consonants and about 21 vowel symbols. Most English-speaking learners can write all Thai consonants within 3-4 weeks of regular practice. The characters are simpler than they look once you start drawing them.
What are Thai tone classes and why do they matter?
Every Thai consonant belongs to a mid, high, or low tone class. These classes are critical because they determine the tone of every syllable in Thai. Since Thai is a tonal language with 5 distinct tones, saying a word with the wrong tone can completely change its meaning. GorGai color-codes each consonant by tone class so you learn the groupings as you practice writing.
What is the Gor Gai system?
Gor Gai (ก ไก่) is the Thai mnemonic system for learning consonants. Each of the 44 Thai consonants is paired with a common word that starts with that consonant's sound — like "A for Apple" in English. The name comes from the first consonant: ก (Gor) paired with ไก่ (Gai, meaning chicken). Thai children memorize all 44 pairs in school. The system helps distinguish consonants that look or sound similar.
Do I need to learn Thai writing to speak Thai?
You can learn basic spoken Thai phrases using romanization, but you'll hit a wall quickly. Thai romanization systems are inconsistent — the same Thai word can be spelled multiple ways in English letters (e.g., the province "ภูเก็ต" is romanized as "Phuket" but pronounced "Poo-ket"). Learning the Thai alphabet is the only reliable way to know the correct pronunciation and tone of a word.
Can I use GorGai on my phone or tablet?
Yes. GorGai is fully responsive and works on mobile phones, tablets, and desktop computers. The drawing canvas supports touch input (finger or stylus) and mouse. Your progress syncs within the same browser, so you can practice Thai writing anywhere. No app download needed — it runs entirely in your browser.
How many vowels are in Thai?
Thai has about 32 vowel forms (สระ), which come in short and long pairs. Unlike English vowels that sit between consonants, Thai vowels can appear before, after, above, below, or even wrap around the consonant they modify. For example, เ– goes before the consonant, –า goes after, –ิ goes above, and –ุ goes below. GorGai's Vowels section lets you practice writing all these forms with position and length indicators to help you learn the system.
Is the Thai alphabet the same as Lao or Khmer?
Thai, Lao, and Khmer scripts all descend from the ancient Khmer script, which itself came from Indian Brahmi script. Thai and Lao are the most similar — many consonants are nearly identical and someone who reads Thai can often partially read Lao. Khmer script looks quite different despite the shared ancestry. Learning Thai gives you a head start on Lao, but they are distinct writing systems with different rules.
About GorGai
GorGai (ก ไก่) is a free, open-source web app designed for anyone learning to read and write the Thai alphabet. Named after the very first Thai consonant — ก, "Gor Gai" (chicken) — it features an interactive drawing canvas with outline guides, a test mode for recall practice, tone class visualization with color-coded badges, self-assessment with progress tracking, and customizable practice sets. No account or download required — your progress is saved locally in your browser. Built for beginners learning Thai from scratch, expats living in Thailand, and anyone preparing to read Thai script.