The Thai language has a total of five tones:

  1. High tone
  2. Mid tone ("default")
  3. Low tone
  4. Rising tone
  5. Falling tone

There are a total of three tone classes:

  1. Low class ("default")
  2. Mid class
  3. High class

Tone classes

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Thai Consonant Classes
Sound Low class Mid class High class
k ค, ฆ
g
d ด, ฎ
dt ต, ฏ
j
ch ช, ฌ
s ส, ษ, ศ
y ย, ญ
t ท, ฑ, ฒ, ธ ถ, ฐ
p พ, ภ
f ฟ, ภ
b
bp
m
n
ng
r
l ล, ฬ
w
h
(none)

Tone rules

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Note:

  • Live syllables end in a long vowel or -m, -n, -ng, -y, -w. If it ends in a consonant, the middle vowel may be either short or long.
  • Dead syllables end in a short vowel or -k, -t, -p. If it ends in a consonant, the middle vowel may be either short or long.


Thai Tone Rules
Syllable type /
Tone mark
Low class Mid and high classes
Live syllable Mid tone (mid class also) Rising tone (high class only)
Dead syllable (short vowel) High tone Low tone
Dead syllable (long vowel) Falling tone Low tone
-' Falling tone Low tone
-้ High tone Falling tone
-๊ High tone High tone
-๋ Rising tone Rising tone