Download Thai Language Pack for Android Phone?

[up-country_sinclair]

I have extremely limited experience with the Android OS, and am wondering if it Is possible to download a Thai language pack for Android phones.

 

My wife and I are moving abroad soon and she's in need of a new phone.   For warranty purposes (and reduced price) I've suggested that it makes sense to wait until we get there, but she has to have access to Thai characters for email and social media.

 

If Thai isn't amongst the languages already installed on the phone, I need to know if it can be downloaded and installed.  If not, we'll need to buy a phone here.

 

Thanks!

 

[RichCor]

THAI LANGUAGE PACK

 

Starting with ICS and JellyBean many android devices support most languages. But you'll find many of the Telecom Carriers either HIDE (via Consumer Software Customization) the ability to view languages which are unlikely to be used in their regions, and sometimes remove the additional languages to slim down the size of the phone firmware (the so-called "ROM")

 

 

If you have a SmartPhone now, you can go into the System Settings Menu ->  Language & Input and see if your device contains the Language Pack.  If THAI (or ไทย) show up in the list then your device is capable of displaying the foreign language character set.

 

If so, then you have two choices available

1. Change the language so that most if not all of the devices settings and menus and input appear in the selected language and fontface

2.  Keep the device setting in English, and

a.  See if the built-in keyboard will allow you to ADD additional language input, or

b.  Download an alternate keyboard and set the additional languages and dictionaries.

(Some examples include GOkeyboard, MultiLing, Keyboard ManMan, Swiftkey, and others... allow multi-language input)

 

 

When you are at the phone store, have the 'Customer Service Rep/Barista', or whatever they want to call themselves, show you that the device can be put into Thai (and that the device can display Thai characters). Easy enough.  Also easy enough to add an alternate input keyboard if needed.

 

 

WARRANTY AND REDUCE PRICING

 

While some phone warranties are limited to the country of purchase, others are a bit more generous ...up to world-wide coverage warranty. Really depends on the brand and the amount spent (or overspent) on the device.

 

As far as reduced pricing...  not really true on electronics here in Thailand (unless you fancy Chinese knockoffs).  While it's possible to get a great price on a phone here, more than likely you'll be paying a import fee on the phone you want.

[up-country_sinclair]

Thanks for your reply.

 

Sorry if I was unclear in my post.  Let me try again:

 

I haven't bought the phone yet, and plan to do so abroad.  I'm just trying to plan ahead at this point.

 

What I'm trying to find out is if it is possible to download and install a Thai language pack to an android phone that doesn't have Thai already installed.

Edited July 29, 2014 by up-country_sinclair

[RichCor]

The quick answer to your language question is 'no', 

fonts are part of the OS and android locks out most users from making custom changes to the OS by denying them 'root' access. 

 

The not-so-quick-there-hombre answer is, 'yes' it can be done if the device has 'Root' administrative user access. This usually means that a not-so-simple-process was employed to partially break the file security of the device to that changes can be made to the OS. 'Root' is required for most if not all of the add-in font applications available in the Google Play store.

 

Also, some add-on keyboard apps can also supply fonts for devices that lack those fonts, but not all applications will be able to utilize or display them.

 

Some additional information in this article:  DroidViews.,com Enable Hidden Languages on Samsung, HTC and Sony Android Devices

 

 

So it's probably better to get a phone that already meets your needs.

Many of the smartphones I've purchased in the U.S. had Thai as an option.

 

High-end phones are cheaper in the U.S. and Europe.  Low end phones are cheaper in Thailand -- but low end phones don't tend to last very long.

Edited July 29, 2014 by RichCor

[casualbiker]

What phone are you thinking of?

My Motorola Moto G purchased in the UK has Thai in the settings. Some phones CAN actually be cheaper in the US and some parts of Europe than here in Thailand. Sometimes cheaper here!

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Edited July 29, 2014 by casualbiker

[up-country_sinclair]

Currently looking at a Sony Xperia Z1 to be purchased in the ME where it is over 4,000 Baht less expensive. 

[casualbiker]

ME. Am I right in guessing middle east?

http://www.lazada.co.th/imported-sony-xperia-z1-c6903-lte-black-162917.html

http://www.lazada.co.th/imported-sony-xperia-z1-c6903-white-196888.html

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app Edited July 29, 2014 by casualbiker

[jolos]

use the SMART KEYBOARD with additional SMART LANGUAGE PACK THAI from GOOGLE PLAY STORE then you can write THAI LANGUAGE and switch via KEYBOARD you other LANGUAGES also.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jolos]

another choice would be GOOGLE KEYBOARD that support THAI writing but they do not have a THAI DICTIONARY


Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[up-country_sinclair]

Thanks for the replies!

[puuchaibaa]

OP your wife only needs to read and type Thai on her device (does not need Thai menus), correct?  If so the solution is as simple as what jolos suggested.

 

Android by default has support for Thai characters in addition to those of major foreign languages.  So basically all Android devices worldwide can display Thai characters.  However, the ability to type in Thai is generally not pre-installed in devices outside the region, but is available via download of one of the free Thai keyboards such as DroidSans from Google Play.

 

In addition, some English keyboards have support for multiple languages, and are easier to use for switching between languages.  I use Swype, for example, and have downloaded the Thai language in the Swype settings.  I can quickly switch between English and Thai with a long press on the keyboard.

[up-country_sinclair]

Yes, she only needs it to type and read.  Menus are not an issue at all.

 

Thanks for the tip about "Swype". 

 

Here's a link to a youtube video for others who are interested:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irDNOYWEpxQ

[puuchaibaa]

Swype is such a wonderful innovation.  I can't stand using a regular touch keyboard now.  When I saw an early Swype video demo years back, and saw how fast they were typing, I thought it had to be fake.  But it really does work as advertised.  The video tutorials on their website are definitely worthwhile watching to get proficient.

 

It's not 100% perfect (no touch input is), but is as close as one can reasonably expect.  It has problems with certain two or three letter words, but is very accurate with longer words.  In fact, I can mess up the strokes for a longer word quite badly but it still can predict the correct word most of the time.

 

The $4 price is nothing for the gain in productivity.  And as with most Android apps, you pay once and can install on virtually all your Android devices.

[4evermaat]

Yes, it is possible to download the language pack to a recent android phone.   If your language (thai/ไทย in this case) is not already pre-installed, you should be able to go to this section of the android phone:

 

System Settings Menu ->  Language & Input

 

and view/download the additional available language packs.

 

Now if a phone is carrier-locked, I'm not sure about this method.  In Thailand, the android mobile phones come unlocked anyway, and would include Thai language, unless they are gray-market phones.