When you see Thai registered cars, particularly in border areas (though the pic is from Samui) the Thai characters of the plate are transliterated to English.

I can get that ก. ไก่ the first letter of the Thai alphabet would be an "A" but ร เรือ is not the 26th Thai letter so from whence comes the "Z?"

The English letters used are (AFAIK), randomly-assigned, with no relationship at all to the Thai letters.

I'm still trying to find out what transliterated means

I'm still trying to find out what transliterated means

Good opportunity to keep away from this thread

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transliteration

But maybe I missed some irony in this post.

I don't know the logic behind this transliteration/transcription,

Also the "SRT" for Surat Thani doesn't follow a standard that I am aware of.

Maybe yet another time some senior official invented his own rules?

No idea whether this thread would be better placed in Thai language or motor forum for educated responses?

Edited October 29, 201510 yr by KhunBENQ

Excellent ..I've learnt a word that I have never heard being used before...

I found a report about these plates and indeed there seems to be a system.

http://www.ckyplate.com/articles/article-detail.aspx?id=atc-20

Following this a "ก" will become an "A" and an "ร" would become a "Z".

The nine consonants after "ร" would become the digits 1 ("ล") to 9 ("ฮ").

That counting the Thai consonants from A to Z does not work is likely due to the fact, that not all letters are used on licenses plates (?).

But here my effort ends...

Edited October 29, 201510 yr by KhunBENQ

As you are talking about the Thai language, perhaps this would be better addressed in the Thai language forum.

MOVED

I tried to extract used letters from the WiKi article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Thailand#Series_letters

I get 36 letters, one too much for "A" to "Z", "1" to "9"

BTW: this "sticker" type plates are NOT what is usually seen as international license plates.

Must be something even more special.

They normally look like in the article from post #6:

The "45" stands for the province. Same as on number signs for lorrys/trucks in Thailand.

Edited October 29, 201510 yr by KhunBENQ