Thai Tuesday: Part 3 – Navigating the Sois like a Local

Welcome to Week 3! By now, you’re likely fueled up on A-roi street food and can count your change up to 20. But eventually, you’ll need to leave the mango sticky rice stall and actually get somewhere.

Whether you’re hopping on a colorful Tuk-Tuk, hailing a Grab, or brave enough to jump on the back of a motorbike taxi (the "win"), knowing a few directional cues will save you from a very long, very accidental scenic tour of Bangkok.

The Golden Rule: "Leow" and "Trong"

Forget the compass; in Thailand, it’s all about these three movements. Use them with a smile and your "Krab/Ka" and you’ll get to your destination in record time.

• Trong pai – Go straight.

• Leow sai – Turn left.

• Leow kwaa – Turn right.

• Yoot tee nee – Stop here!

Lost? No Problem.

If your driver looks a little puzzled by your map, or you’re trying to find the nearest landmark, these phrases are your best friends:

• Yoo tee nai? – Where is...? (e.g., Hotel yoo tee nai?)

• Glai mai? – Is it far?

• Glai-glai – Near.

Mastering the "Meters" and Prices

Before you hop in a taxi, it’s always good to establish the ground rules:

• Paeng maak! – Very expensive!

• Lot noi dai mai? – Can you give a little discount?

• Peed miter duay krab/ka – Please turn on the meter.

Counting 21 to 30

Following our 10-week challenge, we are tackling the next set of numbers. Remember the "et" rule for anything ending in 1!

• 21 – Yee-sip-et

• 22 – Yee-sip-song

• 23 – Yee-sip-sam

• 24 – Yee-sip-si

• 25 – Yee-sip-ha

• 26 – Yee-sip-hok

• 27 – Yee-sip-jet

• 28 – Yee-sip-baid

• 29 – Yee-sip-gao

• 30 – Sam-sip

Trunk Travel Tip: If you’re using a ride-sharing app like Grab or Bolt, the price is fixed, but saying "Trong pai" or "Leow kwaa" can still help your driver navigate those tricky narrow "sois" (side streets) right to your front door!

Next Week: We’re hitting the markets! We'll learn how to shop, bargain politely, and count from 31–40.