AI Translation
Translate Your Products to
Thai
Reach 70M+ speakers of Thai across Thailand and beyond. Tap into a thriving e-commerce market with AI-powered translation that captures cultural nuances and drives conversions.
70M+
Speakers
$28B
Market Size
40M
Online Shoppers
12.5%
Annual Growth
Thai E-commerce Market Opportunity
Understand the potential of selling to Thai-speaking customers
Market Metrics
Avg. Order Value:$45
Mobile Commerce:75%
Growth Potential
The Thai e-commerce market is growing at 12.5% annually, with a total market size of $28B. This represents a significant opportunity for businesses looking to expand internationally.
Target Audience
40M online shoppers actively buying products in Thailand. These customers are ready to purchase from international sellers who speak their language.
Thai Cultural & Language Insights for Product Translation
Understanding the culture is key to successful product translations
Recommended Tone & Style
Use a Mixed tone with polite, respectful, friendly, indirect style when writing product descriptions.
Key Considerations
- Respect for hierarchy and elders is paramount; address individuals with appropriate titles.
- The concept of 'face' (saving face) is important; avoid direct criticism or causing public embarrassment.
- Use of polite particles (e.g., 'krub' for male speakers, 'ka' for female speakers) is essential for courteous communication.
- Buddhism profoundly influences values; avoid using imagery or language that could be disrespectful to religious symbols.
- A strong sense of community and family means content that fosters connection and shared experiences often resonates well.
⚠️
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ⚠Using overly direct or aggressive sales language, which can be perceived as rude.
- ⚠Ignoring the importance of polite particles (ครับ/ค่ะ) in all forms of communication, including marketing.
- ⚠Failing to localize imagery, leading to visuals that do not resonate or may even be culturally inappropriate.
- ⚠Underestimating the prevalence of mobile-first behavior and not optimizing content for smartphones.
Selling Products in Thailand: E-commerce Landscape
Understand the platforms, payment methods, and shopping habits of Thai-speaking customers
Popular Platforms
Lazada
Shopee
Central Online
TikTok Shop
Payment Methods
Cash on Delivery (COD)
PromptPay (QR Payments/Mobile Banking)
Credit/Debit Cards
TrueMoney Wallet
Rabbit LINE Pay
Shipping Expectations
Customers expect fast and affordable shipping, often with real-time tracking. Cash on Delivery (COD) remains a highly popular payment method, necessitating flexible delivery services.
Peak Shopping Seasons
Songkran (Thai New Year - April)
Double-digit sales days (e.g., 11.11, 12.12)
Black Friday / Cyber Monday (November)
End-of-year holiday sales (December)
Loy Krathong (November)
Best Practices for Translating Products to Thai
Engage native Thai linguists who understand the nuances of formal and informal speech and the appropriate use of polite particles (ครับ/ค่ะ).
Adapt content for a mobile-first audience, ensuring conciseness and readability on smaller screens.
Localize imagery and cultural references to ensure they resonate positively and avoid any potential misinterpretations or disrespect.
Avoid direct translation of idioms or humor; instead, adapt them to culturally equivalent expressions to maintain impact.
Pay close attention to tone, opting for a respectful, friendly, and somewhat indirect approach rather than overly aggressive sales pitches.
Localizing
Localizing Products for Thai-Speaking Customers
Translation is just the beginning. Adapt your content to local expectations for maximum impact.
Visual Preferences
- Prefer bright, vibrant, and clear photography. Lifestyle images showing people enjoying products, often in a cheerful or family-oriented setting, are highly effective, conveying happiness and positive experiences.
- Models should reflect the diversity of the Thai population in terms of skin tone and age. While slender builds are common in fashion, authenticity and a friendly, approachable demeanor are generally more important than strict adherence to specific body types.
- Design aesthetics often strike a balance between cleanliness and vibrant elements. While good use of whitespace is appreciated, overly minimalist designs can sometimes be perceived as bland; a touch of color and intricate detail can add appeal.
- Images featuring people should show smiling, friendly faces. Direct eye contact is generally acceptable and can convey sincerity. Group photos emphasizing connection, shared joy, and social interaction (e.g., friends or family together) are very impactful.
- Avoid imagery that could be construed as disrespectful to the Thai monarchy or Buddhism. Positive cultural symbols like the lotus flower (purity, enlightenment) or elephants (national symbol, strength) can be incorporated thoughtfully.
Units & Measurements
- The metric system (meters, centimeters, kilograms) is the standard for all measurements in Thailand.
- Clothing sizes primarily use EU sizing (e.g., S, M, L, XL, or numerical sizes like 36, 38, 40). It is highly recommended to also provide garment-specific measurements in centimeters (e.g., bust, waist, hip) as Thai consumers often rely on these for fit.
- Shoe sizes are typically presented in EU sizing (e.g., 36-45). Providing a conversion chart to JP (centimeters) or US sizing can be beneficial for international customers or those accustomed to other systems.
- Weight units for products are universally expressed in kilograms (kg) for larger items and grams (g) for smaller items or ingredients.
- Dimensions for products are commonly listed in centimeters (cm) and follow the order Length x Width x Height (ยาว x กว้าง x สูง), for example, '10 cm x 5 cm x 2 cm'.
Number & Date Formatting
- Date format is typically DD/MM/YYYY. While the Buddhist calendar (BE 2568 for 2025 CE) is official, the Gregorian calendar (CE 2025) is widely understood and often used in international business contexts. Example: 31/12/2025 or 31/12/2568.
- The decimal separator is a period (.). Example: 1,234.50 (one thousand two hundred thirty-four and fifty satang).
- The thousand separator is a comma (,). Example: 1,234.50.
- Currency is the Thai Baht (THB). The symbol ฿ typically precedes the amount, often with a space. Example: ฿ 1,234.50. Sometimes 'THB' is placed after the amount without a space, e.g., '1,234.50 THB'.
- The 24-hour time format (e.g., 14:30) is common in official and business contexts. The 12-hour format with Thai modifiers (e.g., 'บ่ายสองครึ่ง' for 2:30 PM) is used conversationally but less common in e-commerce interfaces. The week starts on Monday.
Color Meanings
- Red is highly effective for sales, discounts, and promotions, as it signifies urgency, excitement, and good fortune. Orange and yellow are also used to draw attention to deals.
- Blue is a strong color for conveying trust, stability, and professionalism, widely used by banks, insurance companies, and government institutions. Green can also signify reliability, freshness, and health, especially for eco-friendly or wellness products.
- Gold, silver, black, and deep purple are excellent choices for premium and luxury products, symbolizing sophistication, quality, and exclusivity.
- While black is often associated with mourning, it is also a common color for luxury branding and high-end fashion, so its use depends on context. White signifies purity and cleanliness, but traditionally also mourning, so use carefully for celebratory contexts.
- Yellow holds strong cultural significance, particularly associated with the monarchy, and is highly revered. Gold is also auspicious and represents wealth and prosperity. Each day of the week has an associated color, which can be subtly referenced in branding (e.g., Monday-yellow, Sunday-red).
Thai Local SEO Tips
Optimize your product content for search engines in Thai-speaking markets
Prioritize Google for search engine optimization, as it dominates the Thai market. While local search engines exist, their market share is negligible for most e-commerce.
Conduct thorough keyword research, including common Thai modifiers like 'ราคา' (price), 'ซื้อที่ไหน' (where to buy), and 'รีวิว' (review). Also, include transliterated English terms, as many Thais search using a mix of Thai and Romanized words (e.g., 'รองเท้า sneakers' for sneakers).
Structure content with clear headings and bullet points for easy readability, as Thai users appreciate concise information. While conversational tone is generally preferred, maintain professionalism for products requiring trust (e.g., finance, health).
Leverage local link building opportunities by engaging with popular Thai lifestyle blogs, online forums like Pantip.com, and local news portals such as Thai Rath or Kom Chad Luek. Influencer marketing is highly effective for backlinks and visibility.
Ensure your website is mobile-first optimized, as a significant portion of Thai internet users access content via smartphones. Implement `hreflang="th-TH"` for proper geo-targeting and consider local hosting in Thailand for faster load times.
Optimize for voice search by including natural language phrases and common questions, as mobile voice search is growing for queries like 'ร้านอาหารอร่อยใกล้ฉัน' (delicious restaurant near me).
Checklist
Thai Product Information Checklist
Ensure your product data is complete and optimized for Thai-speaking customers
Product Content
- Translate product titles accurately
- Localize product descriptions with local keywords
- Adapt marketing claims for local regulations
- Translate bullet points and key features
- Review brand voice consistency
Attributes & Specifications
- Convert sizes to local standards
- Translate color names appropriately
- Localize material descriptions
- Convert measurements (cm/inches, kg/lbs)
- Adapt technical specifications
SEO & Discoverability
- Optimize meta titles with local keywords
- Write compelling meta descriptions
- Translate image alt text for accessibility
- Research local search terms and trends
- Include relevant local product categories
Related Languages
Expand to similar markets
Platform Integrations
Thai Product Translation for Every E-commerce Platform
Translate once, publish everywhere. Connect your Thai product catalog to Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, Amazon, and more. All translations sync automatically across every sales channel.
Don't see the platform you need?
We're constantly adding new integrations. Let us know what platforms you'd like to see next, and we'll prioritize them for future updates.
Expand Your Global Reach
Connect with customers worldwide through AI-powered translation that captures cultural nuances and drives conversions across all major markets.
Thai Product Translation FAQ
Common questions about translating products to Thai
Ready to Sell in Thai?
Start translating your product catalog today and reach millions of new customers