Learning the Thai language through lessons alone can be boring sometimes. Good news for everyone: There’s another fun way of learning the Thai language—watching Thai TV shows. After the coming of TV digital, there are tons of Thai TV shows for everybody to watch…soap operas, dramas, TV series, news, variety shows about lifestyle, cooking, travelling, and the list goes on.
You can choose to learn the Thai language from Thai TV shows that best fit your tastes. And with internet, despite living outside of Thailand, you can watch Thai TV live (for some TV shows) or watch Thai TV online for free after the show is broadcasted. Now, it’s really just a matter of finding the best TV shows to learn Thai!
Table of Contents
- Thai TV Shows
- Basic Vocabulary about Watching Thai Television
- Recommended Thai TV Shows
- Fun Facts about Learning from Thai TV Shows
1. Thai TV Shows
As mentioned before, there are a lot of shows to watch on Thai TV nowadays. If you live in Thailand, you can always watch Thai TV shows live on television or through IPTV for Thai TV online, such as AIS Playbox and True Vision. You can also watch Thai TV shows online in HD after the show is broadcasted on YouTube, LINE TV, and applications developed by each channel for online/live Thai TV channels.
Most of the channels upload their shows immediately or a few days after the show is broadcasted. And good news for you, most online Thai TV is free. Thai people love drama and variety shows, so the famous TV shows for Thai people often fall into these categories. There are many channels that are famous among Thai people, including Thai TV 3, Thai TV 5, Thai TV 7, Thai TV 8, Workpoint channel, Channel One, and Channel GMM 25. Apart from these, currently, there are some Thai TV shows that are broadcasted only on YouTube.
Watching Thai TV shows can help people who want to learn Thai in many ways. For example, as you watch Thai TV shows, you automatically become more familiar with the Thai accent. So it definitely helps with listening skills, which leads to pronunciation improvement. You’ll also understand more about how the language varies among different groups of people. And last but not least, you get to hear many examples of how to use words, phrases, and slangs in conversation. By watching the best Thai TV shows of 2018, you’re opening up so many new doors to learning opportunities!
2. Basic Vocabulary about Watching Thai Television
If you want to watch Thai TV shows, it’ll be easier for you to understand if you know these related basic vocabularies.
- โทรทัศน์ (thoo-rá-thát) [n.] — “television”
- ทีวี (thii-wii) [n.] — “TV” (shortened word for television; spoken / informal language)
- รายการโทรทัศน์ (raai-gaan tho-rá-thát) [n.] — “TV show”
- รายการทีวี (raai-gaan thii-wii) [n.] — “TV show” (shortened word for TV show; spoken / informal language)
- ช่อง (châawng) [n.] — “channel”
- ตอน (dtaawn) [n.] — “episode”
- โฆษณา (khoo-sà-naa) [n.] — “advertisement”
- สิ่งที่น่าสนใจ (sìng thîi nâa sǒn-jai) [n.] — “interesting thing; advertisement” (In Thai TV, when the hosts say “We will take a break for สิ่งที่น่าสนใจ (sìng thîi nâa sǒn-jai) for a while,” they refer to advertisements.)
- ออกอากาศ (àawk aa-gàat) [v.] — “broadcast”
- ฉาย (chǎai) [v.] — “on air” (spoken / informal language)
- ดู (duu) [v.] — “watch”
- เริ่ม (rôoem) [v.] — “start”
- จบ (jòp) [v.] — “end”
3. Recommended Thai TV Shows
There are many good Thai TV shows for you to watch, both live and online. The following is a list of interesting Thai TV shows for you to choose from, categorized by the genre or type of show. Without further ado, here are our Recommended TV shows to learn Thai!
1- ละคร (lá-khaawn) / “Drama”
1. ล่า (Lâa) / “Revenge”
ล่า (Lâa) is a life-thriller drama that was broadcasted in 2017. It portrays the life of a woman named Máthúrós, starting from the fall of her marriage, to becoming a single mother, to her daughter being the victim of a criminal, to the unfair justice toward her daughter, and finally to her revenge. When it comes to Thai TV drama shows, this is among the very best.
This drama has been shot and broadcasted three times, as both a movie and a TV drama, since 1977. The latest Thai drama version was very successful and got a lot of attention. It got three rewards as well as positive comments from viewers. So if you like this type of drama, make sure you don’t miss this one. It’s really good and the actress is so good that you’ll feel a real connection toward the female lead. Still, this drama isn’t recommended for children as its tone is very dark. You can watch ล่า (Lâa) online.
Vocabulary
- ล่า (lâa) [v.] — “hunt”
- ระทึกขวัญ (rá-thúek khwǎn) [adj.] — “thriller”
- แค้น (kháaen) [v.] — “irate to the point you want to avenge”
- แก้แค้น (gâae kháaen) [v.] — “avenge”
- ล้างแค้น (láang kháaen) [v.] — “avenge” (synonym of แก้แค้น [gâae kháaen])
- แม่เลี้ยงเดี่ยว (mâae líiang dìiao) [n.] — “single mother”
- ความยุติธรรม (kwam-yúd-thì-tam) [n.] — “justice”
- ยาเสพติด (yaa sàeb-thìd) [n.] — “drugs”
- ข่มขืน (khòm-khǎun) [n./v.] — “rape”
2. บุพเพสันนิวาส (bùp-phee sǎn-ní-wâat) / “Love Destiny”
บุพเพสันนิวาส (bùp-phee sǎn-ní-wâat) is a 2018 drama. It has the highest rating since the beginning of the digital TV era. Everything about this Thai drama is very popular, from the food to the songs. It’s a historical romantic drama, portraying the life of a woman who studied Thai history who’s sent back to the Ayudhaya period (around 350 years ago). She gets to witness the change of dynasty that she studied in books and historical evidence while trying to adapt to the past ways of living.
As soon as this TV series ended, the new season was confirmed to be broadcasted within the next five years. So this is one Thailand TV series that will have a second season. Although around 60% of the Thai language used in this drama isn’t the same Thai language people use today, viewers still get to learn Thai culture and history. The popularity of this Thai drama guarantees that it’s worth watching. You can watch this drama at Thai TV online.
Vocabulary
- บุพเพสันนิวาส (bùp-phee sǎn-ní-wâat) [n.] —There’s no English word for this Thai word. It’s used to explain the situation in which a man and a woman who used to be lovers in the previous life become lovers again in this life.
- ประวัติศาสตร์ (bprà-wàt-dtì-sàat) [n.] — “history”
- อิงประวัติศาสตร์ (ing bprà-wàt-dtì-sàat) [n.] — “historical”
- มะม่วง (má-mûuang) [n.] — “mango”
- น้ำปลาหวาน (nám-bpraa whǎan) [n.] — name of the sweet and salty dip for fruit
- กุ้ง (gûng) [n.] — “prawn; shrimp” (Thai people called prawn and shrimp by the same name)
- กษัตริย์ (gà-sàt) [n.] — “king”
- แต่งงาน (dtàaeng-ngaan) [v.] — “marry”
- ฝรั่ง (fá-ràng) [n.] — “guava; foreigner” (In the past, Thai people couldn’t pronounce English words (foreign) well. They pronounced it incorrectly so that it sounded similar to the word “guava” in Thai. So Thai people called foreigners who look Caucasian fá-ràng to this day.)
3. เลือดข้นคนจาง (lûueat khôn khon jaang) / “In Family We Trust”
This Thai drama tells the story of a Thai-Chinese family involved in killing for heritage. In Thai TV drama, there are a few in the mystery/suspense categories. Still, this drama gained a lot of attention since it was first broadcasted in September 2018.
On social media, people come up with many theories to find the killer, so much so that it’s become a trend on Thai Facebook and Twitter. Some theories are purely based on guessing, while others are based on science. Yes, that’s how into it Thai people are. Needless to say, this is one of the most famous Thai TV drama shows.
The name of this drama is worth learning. In Thai, there’s an idiom called เลือดข้นกว่าน้ำ (Lûueat khôn gwàa nám). When you break it down, เลือด (lûueat) is “blood,” ข้น (khôn) is “thick,” กว่า (gwàa) is “more than,” and น้ำ (nám) is “water.” So its literal English meaning is “Blood is thicker than water.” In Thai, the meaning of this idiom is the same as its English idiom. It means relatives and family members are more important than anyone else to an individual. But in this story, family members kill each other for heritage, which implies that family is less important. Thus, the word จาง (jaang)—which is the opposite of ข้น (khôn)—is used to describe family members. The word play and use of an idiom make this Thai drama’s title interesting and unique.
Vocabulary
- ลึกลับ (lúek-láp) [adj.] — “mystery”
- ฆ่า (khâa) [v.] — “kill”
- ฆาตกรรม (khâat-dtà-gam) [n.] — “murder”
- คนจีน (khon-jiin) [n.] — “Chinese people”
- ตระกูล (dtrà-guun) [n.] — “clan”
- งานรวมญาติ (ngaan ruuam yâat) [n.] — “family gathering”
- มรกด (maaw-rá-dòk) [n.] — “heritage”
- โลภ (lôop) [adj]. — “greedy”
- ริษยา (rít-sà-yǎa) [v.] — “jealous”
2- รายการสำหรับครอบครัว (raai-gaan sám-ràp khrâawp-khruua) / “Variety Show for Family”
1. “The Return of Superman Thailand”
This is one of our recommended Thai variety shows for good reason. This Thai variety-reality TV show will tug at your heartstrings and help you enjoy the innocence of childhood and joy of parenting once again. The concept of this show is for the father to understand how hard it is for the mother to take care of their kids, and to spend time with them. It shows how celebrity dads take care of their kids while their mother is away for 48 hours. The tone of this show is fun and lovely. The second season is already over and many people are waiting for season three. You can watch seasons one and two on Thai TV online 7.
ลูกจ๋า ป๊ะป๋ามาแล้ว (lûuk jǎa bpá-bpǎa maa láaeo) is the phrase after the name of the show.
Vocabulary
- ลูก (lûuk) [n.] — “son/daughter”
- จ๋า (jǎa) [affirmative modifier] — the word that Thai people put after someone’s name when calling them to make the tone of calling more sweet and endearing; an answer when one person is called, like “yes” in English
- ป๊ะป๋า (bpá-bpǎa) [n.] — spoken word for “daddy”
- มาแล้ว (maeoa láa) [v.] — “already coming”
- พ่อ (phâaw) [n.] — “father”
- แม่ (mâae) [n.] — “mother”
- ลูกชาย (lûuk-chaai) [n.] — “son”
- ลูกสาว (lûuk-sǎao) [n.] — “daughter”
- แฝด (fàaet) [n.] — “twin”
- ครอบครัว (khrâawp-khruua) [n.] — “family”
- ชั่วโมง (chûua-moong) [n.] — “hour”
** Click here to learn more vocabulary about family members.
2. Thailand Got Talent
We’re sure everyone can guess, Thailand Got Talent is a talent competition reality show. This Thai TV show has been on-air for seven seasons now, and is one of the most popular Thai competition TV shows at the moment. The current season is produced by Work Point Entertainment and is one of Thailand’s live shows. Tune in to watch comedy acts, listen to great songs from amazing singers, or see a Thai show from Bangkok. You can watch this Thai TV show online for free at TV Thailand online.
Vocabulary
- ความสามารถพิเศษ (khwaam-sǎa-mâat phí-sèet) [n.] — “talent”
- การแสดง (gaan-sà-daaeng) [n.] — “show”
- กรรมการ (gam-má-gaan) [n.] — “judge”
- การแข่งขัน (gaan-khàaeng-khǎn) [n.] — “competition”
- ผู้เข้าแข่งขัน (phûu khâo khàaeng-khǎn) [n.] — “competitor”
- ผ่าน (phàan) [v.] — “pass”
- ปุ่ม (bpùm) [n.] — “button”
- ชนะ (chá-ná) [v.] — “win”
- สีทอง (sǐi-thaawng) [n.] — “gold” (Thai people value gold so they often compare things of importance with this color.)
3. หน้ากากนักร้อง (nhâa-gàak-nák-ráawng) / The Mask Singer
In Thailand, TV shows about singing are very popular now. The most famous one is The Mask Singer. The concept of this show is to have celebrities wear a costume and mask during the singing competition. Viewers enjoy trying to guess the identity of the celebrities behind the mask—the interesting costumes add even more intrigue. This show has been broadcasted for five seasons within two years and made many singers gain popularity. You can watch it live every Thursday at 8.05 to 9.45 p.m. on Thai TV online free live or watch all episodes of the current season at TV online Thailand. This made it to our list of recommended Thai singing shows for good reason—go check it out!
Vocabulary
- หน้ากาก (nâa-gàak) [n.] — “mask”
- นักร้อง (nák-ráawng) [n.] — “singer”
- ร้องเพลง (ráawng-phleeng) [v.] — “sing”
- เพลง (phleeng) [n.] — “song”
- พิธีกร (phí-thii-gaawn) [n.] — “host”
- รอบ (râawp) [n.] — “round”
- รอบชิงชนะเลิศ (râawp ching chá-ná-lôoet) [n.] — “final round”
- ทาย (thaai) [v.] — “guess”
- สัมภาษณ์ (sǎm-phâat) [v.] — “interview”
3- รายการเกี่ยวกับอาหาร (raai-gaan gìiao gàp aa-hǎan) / “Food Shows”
1. เชฟกระทะเหล็กประเทศไทย (chéep grà-thá lèk bprà-thêet thai) — “Iron Chef Thailand”
This is a Thai cooking-reality TV show that has been aired on channel 7 since 2013. The concept of this show is to get the challenger (a chef) to compete with the show’s Iron Chefs using the main ingredient provided. The show has seven Iron Chefs whom the competitor can choose to challenge, each specialized in different kinds of food. The main ingredient is assigned and the chef has 60 minutes to cook five kinds of food for six people. The champion will be voted by three judges based on many criteria such as taste and creativity. For those who are interested in this show, you can watch it live on Thai TV online live/Thai TV channel 7 live stream every Saturday from 12:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. or watch it online later at Thai online 7.
Vocabulary
- กระทะ (grà-thá) [n.] — “pan”
- เหล็ก (lèk) [n.] — “iron”
- ประเทศไทย (bprà-thêet thai) [n.] — “Thailand”
- การทำอาหาร (gaan tham aa-hǎan) [n.] — “cooking”
- ทำอาหาร (tham aa-hǎan) [v.] — “cook”
- พ่อครัว (phâaw khruua) [n.] — “male cook; male chef”
- แม่ครัว (mâae khruua) [n.] — “female cook; female chef”
- วัตถุดิบ (wát-thù-dìp) [n.] — “ingredient”
- อาหาร (aa-hǎan) [n.] — “food”
- หมดเวลา (mòt wee-laa) [v.] — “time up”
2. ครัวคุณต๋อย (khruua khun dtǎauy) / “Dtǎauy’s kitchen”
This is another food-related Thai show, aired since 2013. The owners of famous restaurants are invited to the show and are asked to cook their signature dish while giving viewers cooking tips. You can check out all the episodes online at TV show Thailand.
Vocabulary
- ครัว (khruua) [n.] — “kitchen”
- เปิดเผย (bpòoet-phǒoei) [v.] — “reveal”
- เคล็ดลับ (khlét-láp) [n.] — “tips”
- รสชาติ (rót-châat) [n.] — “taste”
- กลิ่นหอม (glìn hǎawm) [adj.] — “smell good”
- อร่อย (à-ràauy) [adj.] — “delicious”
- ตามฤดูกาล (dtaam rúe-duu gaan) [adj.] — “seasonal”
- สมุนไพร (sà-mǔn-phrai) [n.] — “herb”
** If you want to know more about Thai food, check out the famous menu here.
3. กิน อยู่ คือ (gin yhùu khuue) / “Eat Am Are”
This food show is broadcasted on Thai PBS Channel. Each week, the host will give information about food according to each week’s topic—for example, pickled food, types of oil, or mango ripeness level. And of course, this show will show you how to cook food. If you like documentary-style shows, you can watch it live at Thai PBS Channel TV Thai every Sunday at 4:05 to 4:30 p.m.
Vocabulary
- กิน (gin) [v.] — “eat”
- รับประทาน (rráp-bprà-thaan) [v.] — formal word for “eat”
- ทาน (thaan) [v.] — shortened word for รับประทาน (rúb-prà-tarn)
- คุณผู้ชม (khun-phûu-chom) [n.] — “viewer”
- ต้ม (dtôm) [v.] — “boil”
- ผัด (phàt) [v.] — “stir-fried”
- ทอด (thâawt) [v.] — “fried”
- นึ่ง (nûeng) [v.] — “steam”
- ตุ๋น (dtǔn) [v.] — “stew”
- หั่น (hàn) [v.] — “slice”
- สับ (sàp) [v.] — “chop”
** Click here to see the list of foods that will make you live longer.
** If you want to learn more words about fruits and vegetables, click here.
4- รายการข่าว (raai-gaan khàao) / “News”
1. เรื่องเล่าเช้านี้ (rûueang lâo cháo níi)
This show changed how the news is reported in Thailand. Instead of having a news reporter sit and just report the news, the host talks about the news as though viewers were friends, neighbors, or colleagues. Watching the news used to be boring, but the concept of this show adds a level of comfort and flair. This show is broadcasted every Monday to Friday at 6 a.m. Viewers can watch it live on Thai TV3 online news at Thai TV3 news today. Being a news show, you’ll hear a good deal of Thai language used, making this one of the best TV shows to learn Thai.
Vocabulary
- เรื่องเล่า (rûueang lâo) [n.] — “story”
- เช้า (cháo) [n.] — “morning”
- เช้านี้ (cháo níi) [n.] — “this morning”
- ข่าว (khàao) [n.] — “news”
- การเมือง (gaan-muueang) [n.] — “politic”
- เศรษฐกิจ (sèet-thà-gìt) [n.] — “economy”
- สังคม (sáng-khom) [n.] — “society”
- บันเทิง (ban-thooeng) [n.] — “entertainment”
- อุบัติเหตุ (ù-bàt-dtì-hèet) [n.] — “accident”
2. สีสันทันโลก (sǐi-sǎn than lôok)
This news show reports interesting stories of what’s going on around the world each week—for example, foot golf competitions, the birth of a white rhino, a moving church, etc. This news show is documentary-style in tone, and is aired once a week on Saturday at 1 p.m. for 45 minutes. If you like this kind of show, you can watch it live at Thai PBS Channel/Thai News TV Online.
Vocabulary
- สีสัน (sǐi-sǎn) [n.] — “color”
- ทัน (than) [adj.] — “in-time”
- โลก (lôok) [n.] — “world”
- รอบโลก (râawp lôok) [adj.] — “around the world”
- ต่างประเทศ (dtàang-bprà-thêet) [adj.] — “foreign”
- น่าสนใจ (nâa sǒn-jai) [adj.] — “interesting”
- แปลก (bplàaek) [adj.] — “weird”
3. จั๊ดซัดทุกความจริง (ját-sát-thúk-khwaam-jing)
This is another Thai talk show combined with news report broadcasted on one channel. Instead of reporting the news, this show focuses on discussing a topic related to news that highly interests people at that time, or an issue in Thai society. The host’s name is Júd, and his way of talking combined with his worldview makes this show interesting to watch. If you want to know what Thai people think and how Thai people behave, this is a good show to watch. The examples of topics discussed on this show are cigarettes and nation improvement (relating to investment in the tobacco monopoly to increase the nation’s revenue). Of all the latest Thai TV shows, this news show is one of the best for learning both language and culture. Watch this show online at Thai News TV.
Vocabulary
- ความจริง (khwaam-jing) [n.] — “truth”
- ความคิดเห็น (khwaam-khít-hěn) [n.] — “opinion”
- ถกเถียง (thòk-thǐiang) [v.] — “discuss”
- ประเด็น (bprà-den) [n.] — “issue”
- กฎหมาย (gòt-mǎai) [n.] — “law”
- วิเคราะห์ (wí-khráw) [v.] — “analyze”
- วิธีแก้ปัญหา (wí-thii gâae bpan-hǎa) [n.] — “solution”
- มุมมอง (mum-maawng) [n.] — “point of view”
5- รายการทีวีเกี่ยวกับการท่องเที่ยว (raai-gaan thii-wii gìiao-gàp gaan-thâawng-thîiao) / “TV Travel Shows”
1. เทยเที่ยวไทย The Route (thooei thîiao thai The Route)
This Thai TV show portrays the lives of its three Kathoey hosts, particularly their traveling lifestyle. The show is very popular and has been on air since 2011. The strong point of the show is the way three hosts talk and tell the story of the places they visit. When it comes to Thai reality TV shows, this one is both fun and educational. If you want to see Thailand from a different angle, you have to watch this show. Watch all episodes online at Thai TV Shows GMM25.
Vocabulary
- กระเทย (grà-thooei) [n.] — “Kathoey” doesn’t translate 1:1 to English, but you can read an explanation here!
- เที่ยว (thîiao) [v.] — “travel”
- จังหวัด (jang-wàt) [n.] — “province”
- ภาคเหนือ (phâak nǔuea) [n.] — “northern region”
- ภาคกลาง (phâak glaang) [n.] — “central region”
- ภาคตะวันออก (phâak dtà-wan-àawk) [n.] — “eastern region”
- ภาคตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือ (phâak dtà-wan-àawk chǐiang nǔuea) [n.] — “northeast region”
- ภาคตะวันตก (phâak dtà-wan-dtòk) [n.] — “western region”
- ภาคใต้ (phâak dtâi) [n.] — “southern region”
** You can check out popular tourist attractions in Thailand here.
2. สมุดโคจร on the way (sà-mùt khoo-jaawn)
This show is a documentary-travel show broadcasted on channel 3. It offers facts about each place the host visits, how to travel there, and gives an interesting story along the way. The show has been on air for eight years and its destinations can be both in Thailand and other countries. You can watch it live every Saturday at 5 p.m. at Watch Thai TV Online Channel 3 or watch it after it’s broadcasted on YouTube’s Thai TV Show.
Vocabulary
- สมุด (sà-mùt) [n.] — “notebook”
- โคจร (khoo-jaawn) [v.] — “orbit”
- เส้นทาง (sêen-thaang) [n.] — “route”
- สถานที่ (sà-thǎan-thîi) [n.] — “place”
- วัฒนธรรม (wát-thá-ná-tham) [n.] — “culture”
- ประเพณี (bprà-phee-nii) [n.] — “tradition”
- จังหวัด (jang-wàt) [n.] — “province”
- ธรรมชาติ (tham-má-châat) [n.] — “nature”
** Click here for ten ways to prepare for travel.
3. เปรี้ยวปากเช็คอิน (bprîiao bpàak chék-in)
This is one of the most popular traveling-food shows in Thailand. In the past, this show focused solely on recommending good restaurants, before it started to recommend both good places to travel and good restaurants in that area. The show has a light, fun tone and the hosts are friendly. You can watch this show on Thai TV3 Online.
Vocabulary
- เปรี้ยวปาก (bprîiao bpàak) [v.] — “crave”
- ริมทาง (rim-thaang) [n.] — “roadside”
- อาหารจานด่วน (aa-hǎan jaan dùuan) [n.] — “fastfood”
- บรรยากาศ (ban-yaa-gàat) [n.] — “atmosphere”
- สวยงาม (sǔuai-ngaam) [adj.] — “beautiful”
- สดชื่น (sòt-chûuen) [adj.] — “fresh”
- ขนม (khà-nǒm) [n.] — “snack”
- ของหวาน (khǎawng-wǎan) [n.] — “sweets”
** If you want to learn more words about travelling, click here.
4. Fun Facts about Learning from Thai TV Shows
- Fun is a part of Thai culture: Once you’ve watched lots of Thai TV shows, you’ll realize this. You may notice that Thailand has several variety shows, but not many documentary shows. Even on news shows, Thai people prefer those where the news reporters talk to each other rather than just report the news, because watching people interact with each other tends to be more fun.
- In Thai TV drama, females always wear makeup to bed: If you’re a fan of Thai TV series, you’ll surely notice that female actresses always wear makeup to sleep. In my opinion, it makes Thai TV drama look unnatural and unrealistic.
- There’s always a channel logo on the screen: I don’t know why, but for most of the Thai TV shows, there’s always a channel logo somewhere on the screen.
Watching Thai TV shows is one of the most entertaining ways to learn the Thai language. It familiarizes you with the Thai language and can even help you improve your accent. At the same time, you get to learn new words and slangs, and how to use them. The more you watch, the higher the chance is that you can pick up new words, phrases, and slangs. You can visit ThaiPod101.com to find out more about them as well as language learning strategies, top ten free Thai lessons, and recommended methods to learn Thai to increase your Thai understanding as well.
We hope you learned a lot about the Top Thai TV shows from our Thai TV shows blog. If so, go ahead and get started watching your own top picks. You’ll be glad you did once you see yourself becoming more familiar with the language and culture. Enjoy!
