I was thinking of buying the Samsung Galaxy S II from Singapore but was wondering whether I would be able to read Thai words on SMSes and Websites? Or will the words appear as "square boxes"?

I had previously purchased a Nokia (Symbian) and a Samsung Omnia (Windows Mobile) and they both could not display Thai words in SMSes and Websites.

Anyone purchased the Samsung Galaxy S II from outside of Thailand?

Hard to say exactly as it would depend on both the Android rev. (2.3.3 or 2.3.4) and the firmware combo. loaded on the exact phone.

Now I understand why the local SGS2's have unique firmware, both for the Thai fonts and for the Thai UI.

I'd say if it 2.3.3 it likely has Thai fonts; you can obviously easily check this Settings, Locale and text, Select locale, scroll down look for Thailand. And/or browse to a Thai website. If it is 2,.3.4 it likely does not have Thai fonts.

If you do not have Thai fonts they can be added, but this process does require some manipulation of the hardware, specifically rooting.

I am running a custom ROM based on Samsung 2.3.4 (on a SGSold) and it did not have Thai. I had to push (adb) Thai ttf fonts to the phone, very easy.

I downloaded the DroidSans Thai keyboard and language package with Market on the phone. All thai sites in thai no issues and can sellect both thai and english from the keyboard as you would with Win7 language control for typing.

This is an english phone purchased in Canada, wife is thai and has no issues using it for thai internet, skype, facebook and email.

Edited August 12, 201114 yr by rmacdon61

Yes it will display thai for sure.

I downloaded the DroidSans Thai keyboard and language package with Market on the phone. All thai sites in thai no issues and can sellect both thai and english from the keyboard as you would with Win7 language control for typing.

This is an english phone purchased in Canada, wife is thai and has no issues using it for thai internet, skype, facebook and email.

The important criteria is the Android rev., I suspect you have a 2.3.3 variant, so have Thai fonts as part of the base Android software. Adding a Thai keyboard is a separate and distinct operation/feature. Assuming you have Thai fonts, and either don't have a Thai keyboard or don't like the default Samsung Thai keyboard, you can download one of the many Thai keyoboards in The Android Market. The "Arch" and "DroidSans" Thai keyboards seem to be the most popular, well received.

Samsung driod 2.3.3 does not supply a thai key or font for thai. Had to get both from market. Not all market boards will work with 2.3.3. Qualify this as it is an english based phone purchased in Canada so others from asian countries may have thai as language, can not speak to that.

http://mi-android.com/tag/languages/

A list of languages supported on Ginger bread. Included in the list is Thai.

On my Galaxy tab, european version. I could display thai fonts on froyo and gingerbread. To write in thai I simply downloaded a free thai keyboard on the google market.

Edited August 14, 201114 yr by winty

Samsung driod 2.3.3 does not supply a thai key or font for thai. Had to get both from market. Not all market boards will work with 2.3.3. Qualify this as it is an english based phone purchased in Canada so others from asian countries may have thai as language, can not speak to that.

http://mi-android.com/tag/languages/

A list of languages supported on Ginger bread. Included in the list is Thai.

On my Galaxy tab, european version. I could display thai fonts on froyo and gingerbread. To write in thai I simply downloaded a free thai keyboard on the google market.

These two statements illustrate the challenges trying to answer the OP's question. No, it doesn't have it, Yes, it does have it.

All the 2.2.1 and 2.3.2/2.3.3 Samsung gear that I seen as purchased here has Thai fonts installed as part of the base Android package.

Not all 2.2.1 and 2.3.x Samsung phones in every region have Thai fonts. There was a long thread here about German branded HTCs which did not have Thai as a result of the operator-specific software. Many early 2.3.4 and 2.3.5 leaks for the SGSold do not have Thai.

My best guess is that an SGS2 purchased in Singapore with 2.3.3 would have Thai. If it has 2.3.4 it may not have it. Of course it is easy enough to verify in person so my speculation is interesting but perhaps irrelevant.

Edited August 14, 201114 yr by lomatopo