Thai is the official language of Thailand, it is a member of the Tai-Kadai Language family and over half the words in the Thai language have their origins in either Pali and the ancient languages of Sanskrit and Khmer.
Thai is a tonal language and for this reason it can be difficult for some to learn. Certain words in Thai can also have more than one meaning, depending on the way they are pronounced, which can sometimes cause confusion for the untrained ear. From region to region the dialect and language can be slightly different, but here on Koh Samui the southern Thai dialect is spoken.
Below are a few useful words and phrases that if you can learn before you arrive in Thailand will make general communication easier and will also be appreciated by most locals.