Thai is also known as Siamese and is a member of the Tai-Kadai language family. It’s mutually intelligible with Lao, and over half of Thai words are borrowed from Sanskrit, old Khmer (Cambodian) and Pali.
There are several registers in spoken Thai and most Thai speakers can speak in all of the following:
- Royal Thai for addressing the royal family
- Religious Thai when addressing monks
- Rhetorical Thai for public speaking
- Formal Thai for formal communication
- Common or street Thai for informal communication.
The Thai name for the capital Bangkok is the rather long: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthar Ayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.
