Thai has five tones      

1.     Mid.           No marks normal tone      

2.     Low       ̀    lower than normal tone      

3.     Falling   ̂    goes up a little then drops

4.     High      ́    above normal/mid tone      

5.     Rising    ̆    sing the tone upwards 

VOWELS   
a       as in ha      

aa      as in ah      

i       as in if      

ii      as in see      

u       as in foot or put      

uu      as in mood      

oh      as in go      

o       as in from      

or      as in aw      

eu      as in deux      

ae      as in cat but short in sound    

e       as in met      

eh      as in air but with no ‘r’ sound  

oe      as in ‘bird’ no ‘r’ sound

DIPTHONGS        

Combinations of two or more vowels. The  sounds are as indicated above, but run together

ia               mia        (mee-ah)        wife

iu              hiu           (hew)            hungry

eua           reua         (rer-ah)         boat

ua             wua         (woo-ah)        cow

ai              yai           (as in hi)        big

ao             mau         (mow)           drunk

ui              khui         (kooy)           to chat

oi              noi           (noy)             a little

oei            khoei        (ker-ay)         ever

euai          neaui        (ner-ay)         tired

io              dio           (dee-oh)        alone

eho           leho         (lay-oh)         bad

aeo           maeo        (mair-oh)      cat

iau            niau         (nee-ow)       sticky