Words from Pali, Sanskrit and Khmer were introduced into the language following the adoption of Buddhism the written language is based on the Brahmi script with influence from the Khmer language.
It is believed that the Thai language originated in southern China close to Vietnam. Don't let that stop you though - Thais appreciate the effort!).
There are five tones in the Thai language with differing inflections conceivably giving a new meaning to a word (which may cause confusion if mispronounced. Other ethnic groups and pockets of Thais in remote areas speak languages unrelated to Thai. Some words and phrases are used only in certain social situations and often vary according to geogrpahy. There are four regional dialects - northern, north eastern, central and southern - with central Thai being the most widely spoken and understood. Thai is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group.
