Bargaining in Thailand is not a fight. It is a short, friendly conversation with a known shape, and being pleasant gets you a better number than being firm. Say one line in Thai and the price you are quoted is usually not the price you were about to be quoted.
One rule worth keeping: never bargain for something you are not going to buy. Ask, make one counter-offer, and if you agree, take it. Walking away after a seller has come down is the only part of this that actually annoys people.
1The six from the video
His market toolkit, in order. Written with the tone marks here. The video writes them the simple way, but the marks are what make you understood.
| อันนี้เท่าไหร่ | an-níi thâo-rài | How much is this? | |
| แพงไป | phaaeng bpai | Too expensive! | |
| ลดได้ไหม | lót dâai mǎi | Can you give a discount? | |
| เอาอันนี้ | ao an-níi | I'll take this one | |
| มีสีอื่นไหม | mii sǐi ùuen mǎi | Do you have another colour? | |
| ดูเฉยๆ ครับ | duu chǒoei chǒoei khráp | Just looking, thanks |
2The price
| เงิน | ngoen | Money | |
| แพง | phaaeng | Expensive | |
| ถูก | thùuk | Cheap | |
| ลดหน่อยได้ไหม | lót nàwy dâai mǎi | Can you lower the price? | |
| อันนี้ | an-níi | This one | |
| ใหญ่ | yài | Big | |
| เล็ก | lék | Small | |
| ตลาด | dtà-làat | Market | |
| เอา | ao | I'll take it | |
| ไม่เอา | mâi ao | No thanks |
3At the market
Fresh, fake, by the kilo, in a bag.
| กี่บาท | gìi bàat | How many baht? | |
| ฟรี | frii | Free (no cost) | |
| ของแท้ | khǎawng tháae | Genuine / real | |
| ของปลอม | khǎawng bplaawm | Fake | |
| ถุง | thǔng | Bag (plastic) | |
| กิโล | gì-loo | Kilo | |
| ครึ่งกิโล | khrûeng gì-loo | Half a kilo | |
| สด | sòt | Fresh | |
| แถม | thǎaem | Free extra (bonus) | |
| ลดราคา | lót raa-khaa | On sale (discounted) | |
| แม่ค้า | mâe-kháa | Vendor |
4The numbers you will hear
Prices come at you fast.
| หนึ่ง | nùeng | One | |
| สอง | sǎawng | Two | |
| สาม | sǎam | Three | |
| สี่ | sìi | Four | |
| ห้า | hâa | Five | |
| หก | hòk | Six | |
| เจ็ด | jèt | Seven | |
| แปด | bpàaet | Eight | |
| เก้า | gâao | Nine | |
| สิบ | sìp | Ten | |
| ร้อย | ráawy | Hundred (100) | |
| พัน | phan | Thousand (1,000) | |
| บาท | bàat | Baht (Thai money) |
The app has a teacher you can actually talk to. You say it, it tells you what landed and what didn't. 27 languages, no account needed, nothing to download.
Open STKD WRLD →Questions people ask
How do you ask for a discount in Thai?
ลดหน่อยได้ไหม (lót nàwy dâai mǎi), can you lower it a bit?
How do you say "too expensive" in Thai?
แพง (phaaeng). แพงมาก (phaaeng mâak), very expensive.
How do you say "I'll take it" in Thai?
เอา (ao). And ไม่เอา (mâi ao), no thanks.
Should you bargain in Thailand?
At markets and street stalls, gently, yes. In shops with price tags, malls and supermarkets, no. The price is the price and haggling there just makes it awkward.