Am seeking - in Thailand - a new laptop with French AZERTY (not German AZERTY) keyboard.  As a replacement for my existing one which is on the blink due to a graphics problem.  Possibly repairable, but if so it can become a stand-by when up-and-running again.  (Am thinking of guarantee)

 

Some years ago I brought to Thailand an external USB AZERTY keyboard in the belief that if the computer I had failed it could be replaced with a computer bought in Thailand having the habitual Thai/US keyboard.

 

The circumstance foreseen arose; I purchased a computer in Thailand, and confidently plugged in my AZERTY keyboard.  It did not function correctly.  Whenever one typed an accented character, or certain symbols, it reverted to a US keyboard and started outputting gibberish.  Years later I tried the same computer [a Lenovo Ideapad 320] with another USB AZERTY keyboard, with the same result.  Incompatibility caused by differences in computer keyboard processor?

 

My current computer which has started to develop the screen  problem is a Lenovo 1i with 15.7" screen [*], and was ordered from amazon.fr in April 2021 in replacement for an ASUS purchased in France only about 18 months earlier but which developed one keyboard failure after another (remedied by use of USB keyboard) before finally packing up altogether.  Forcing me to boot into Knoppix via USB to recover some data.  Swore never again to buy an ASUS.

 

It does occur to me that one could perhaps purchase a locally available computer, configure it under Windows as having a French keyboard, and then stick on the keys pieces of paper marked with the requisite characters.  But not, I suspect, a very durable solution.

 

Wonder if some of my many past hardware problems might have been caused by real live bugs.  Such as the almost microscopically small ants that abound in this house especially during the rainy season, and which can sometimes even find their way into screw-top jars.  Tend to put equipment into plastic bags with a few mothballs, but tedious repeatedly unplugging and re-plugging everything, so can get a bit neglected.

 

Moreover this house can be extremely damp and subject to mould, since some years ago a nameless clown concreted over the no-longer used irrigation ditch that ran down alongside my plot.  In the monsoon it served as a drain for the rainwater than now laps at the foot of my concrete-block walls.  However mould ought not to affect equipment in regular use, but only when in storage.  In the latter case I endeavour to seal with silica gel.

 

[ * not a bad machine but contrast ratio too low for my liking, as discovered after delivery ]

Try looking in Vietnam. French is not a thing in Thailand. You might also set your system to French and then install new drivers.

You could buy an AZERTY sticker set for your keyboard, just like they have them for Thai. Lazada has it.

If you  use an external keyboard (French azerty) on a 'Thai' computer / laptop, you'll have tot 'tell' your computer that you are using an azerty-keyboard! (that has nothing to do with the kind of processor)

 

Go to: Settings > Language and Region > change your language to Frech OR  change / add the French keyboard language.
The input method (language) will show up next to your wifi icon ....

 

 

On 8/5/2025 at 7:48 PM, cjinchiangrai said:

Try looking in Vietnam. French is not a thing in Thailand. You might also set your system to French and then install new drivers.

Did you try Lazada, Shoppee or Temu??

38 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Did you try Lazada, Shoppee or Temu??

Nope, I don't know French.

Thought the German one was QWERTZ

36 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Nope, I don't know French.

??? French ???

I never heard about this kind of keyboard.

Do you mean QWERTY ?

17 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

I never heard about this kind of keyboard.

Do you mean QWERTY ?

No, it is a special keyboard for French.

18 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

No, it is a special keyboard for French.

Thanks, new to me

(You can buy keyboard stickers online for less than 100 THB.  I just bought a great "for sight impaired" LARGE (English) letter stickers for 30 Baht)

To switch your keyboard layout to AZERTY, you need to add the AZERTY keyboard to your language settings within your operating system. This typically involves navigating to your system settings, then language and keyboard settings, and adding the desired AZERTY keyboard layout. Once added, you can switch between QWERTY and AZERTY using a keyboard shortcut, usually Ctrl + Shift or Windows Key + Spacebar. 

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. Access Language and Input Settings:

• Windows:

  Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region > Language options. Add a keyboard layout for the desired language (e.g., French for an AZERTY layout). 

   
• macOS:

  Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Input Sources. Click the "+" button, select the desired language and keyboard layout (e.g., French for AZERTY). 

   

2. Add AZERTY Keyboard Layout:

• Windows:

  Under "Keyboards," click "Add a keyboard" and choose the AZERTY layout from the list. 

   
• macOS:

  Click the "+" button, select the desired language (e.g., French), and choose the corresponding AZERTY layout. 

   

3. Switch Between Keyboard Layouts:

• Windows: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift or Windows Key + Spacebar. 
   
• macOS: Click the language icon in the menu bar and select the desired keyboard layout. 
   

4. Verify:

• Open a text editor or any application where you can type.
• Type "qwerty" and ensure it is now displayed as "azerty" on your screen (or vice versa). 
   

By following these steps, you can successfully switch your keyboard layout to AZERTY and utilize the layout for typing in your desired language. 

3 hours ago, JustinTyme said:

(You can buy keyboard stickers online for less than 100 THB.  I just bought a great "for sight impaired" LARGE (English) letter stickers for 30 Baht)

To switch your keyboard layout to AZERTY, you need to add the AZERTY keyboard to your language settings within your operating system. This typically involves navigating to your system settings, then language and keyboard settings, and adding the desired AZERTY keyboard layout. Once added, you can switch between QWERTY and AZERTY using a keyboard shortcut, usually Ctrl + Shift or Windows Key + Spacebar. 

 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. Access Language and Input Settings:

• Windows:

  Go to Settings > Time & Language > Language & Region > Language options. Add a keyboard layout for the desired language (e.g., French for an AZERTY layout). 

   
• macOS:

  Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Input Sources. Click the "+" button, select the desired language and keyboard layout (e.g., French for AZERTY). 

   

2. Add AZERTY Keyboard Layout:

• Windows:

  Under "Keyboards," click "Add a keyboard" and choose the AZERTY layout from the list. 

   
• macOS:

  Click the "+" button, select the desired language (e.g., French), and choose the corresponding AZERTY layout. 

   

3. Switch Between Keyboard Layouts:

• Windows: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift or Windows Key + Spacebar. 
   
• macOS: Click the language icon in the menu bar and select the desired keyboard layout. 
   

4. Verify:

• Open a text editor or any application where you can type.
• Type "qwerty" and ensure it is now displayed as "azerty" on your screen (or vice versa). 
   

By following these steps, you can successfully switch your keyboard layout to AZERTY and utilize the layout for typing in your desired language. 

PS --- It is very easy to pop the keys off a "desktop" keyboard and move them around.  Sometimes I have to remove a few to clean underneath them ... really, really easy!  So, once you "train" the computer to use a different layout, you can make the keys match!

I had a problem about 5 years ago with my Lenovo portable (ThinkPad....generally very reliable machines) which has a French AZERTY keyboard. I went to several stores at Bangkok Fortune Town, no doubt tbe best collection of PC stores in Thailand. No luck at all. Impossible to buy or even order a ThinkPad with the French keyboard. I doubt this has changed. So I wound up buying another new one when I returned to France. I think you're out of luck.

21 hours ago, JustinTyme said:

PS --- It is very easy to pop the keys off a "desktop" keyboard and move them around.  Sometimes I have to remove a few to clean underneath them ... really, really easy!  So, once you "train" the computer to use a different layout, you can make the keys match!

 

Thanks for the suggestion.
There are two problems with a QWERTY keyboard.
Layout, since I have been using the AZERTY keyboard for decades;
and a somewhat different alphabet - e.g. à, é, è, ç, ù, â, ê, ï, [ not to mention µ, ¤, £, «, ». 🙂 ].  I need to be able to communicate in both English and French.  I could use the Windows Character Map, but am not a devil for punishment.

 

With respect to several other suggestions in this thread, which are much appreciated:
I have a strong belief that I did configure my keyboard to French in Windows Setup, but it toggled back to US English whenever I hit an accented key.  That needs to be either confirmed or 'infirmed' once I have dug out the old computer (assuming it is still capable of functioning).

 

It probably did not occur to me to change the system language setting to French.  Something to be tried.

On 8/10/2025 at 11:37 AM, carlf said:

I had a problem about 5 years ago with my Lenovo portable (ThinkPad....generally very reliable machines) which has a French AZERTY keyboard. I went to several stores at Bangkok Fortune Town, no doubt tbe best collection of PC stores in Thailand. No luck at all. Impossible to buy or even order a ThinkPad with the French keyboard. I doubt this has changed. So I wound up buying another new one when I returned to France. I think you're out of luck.

Ah! I see! Learn something new every day.  I forgot about all the accents etc ... once you get the AZERTY keyboard, setting up the computer to conform to it, following the instructions provided, should only take a minute. 
bonne chance pour ton voyage ! 555 !

I think I now understand the reason for my past problem using an external USB AZERTY keyboard on a laptop with a Thai keyboard.

 

The laptop was purchased new from a shop in Pantip Plaza in, I think, November 2017 or '18.  It was loaded with an unofficial (and imperfect) copy of Windows 10 Pro.

 

I was yesterday able to re-start my moth-balled laptop, after a prolonged re-charge of the battery. It was already configured for a French keyboard, so that was clearly not the problem.  I then sought to change the system language, but could find no means to do that.

 

Having no intention to fork out for an authorised version of Windows to use on a computer that likely has limited remaining life-expectancy, am looking to instal Linux Mint Cinnamon.

 

Asked the only reasonably competent local computer-shop I know of if they could instal Linux for me, and, with a look of horror, the answer was "No!"  I'm guessing they have been intimidated by Big Brother Bill & Co.