Wondering how many people take the trouble to learn Thai numbers? These seem to be deliberately designed to be even more difficult to learn than the Thai alphabet and devoid of any logic.

After a week I still haven't got past number 3 as far as instant recognition goes. Zero was easy...

I find it handy when visiting national parks. I offer over the entry fee as noted in Thai script. If I get told it is wrong, I just say that if I can read it, that should be the amount I pay. More often than not it works. If it doesn't work I just cough up the extra without further discussion.

 

 

41 minutes ago, cooked said:

These seem to be deliberately designed to be even more difficult to learn than the Thai alphabet and devoid of any logic.

That was done so they could post dual pricing signs at the national parks... 

 

I am told some stallholders have lower prices in the Thai script than English. However, most of the stallholders in the local markets seem to have converted to numerical English anyway.

IMHO Thai numbers will die a slow death. Can you imagine an odometer on a scooter or car with Thai numbers? Or hospitals displaying blood pressure readings the same way?

While there are definite advantages to learning the Thai language, learning the Thai script for numbers seems to be a bit pointless.

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

I am told some stallholders have lower prices in the Thai script than English. However, most of the stallholders in the local markets seem to have converted to numerical English anyway.

IMHO Thai numbers will die a slow death. Can you imagine an odometer on a scooter or car with Thai numbers? Or hospitals displaying blood pressure readings the same way?

While there are definite advantages to learning the Thai language, learning the Thai script for numbers seems to be a bit pointless.

When I receive a note from the school "about camp" or whatever, I can read the month but not the day + time . I agree about food prices although in Isaan I have often seen menus in Thai only. (and without pictures, dammit).

They're pretty easy to learn, though only marginally useful.

 

Start with 3, which is just a 3 that has fallen over. 2 wanted to be a 3, so had to be constrained with an extra line or two

 

6 is basically a backward English 6. 7 & 8 are identical to diacritics used in Thai script, 4 and 5 are very similar to one another.

 

9 is the only tough one, I've seen it written so many different ways. It starts out rather like 3, but then gets ambitions and flies off into the sky.