Thai spelling difference between Thaksin (deposed Prime Minister) and Taksin (The Gre

[Jessdikenya]

I would like to learn the Thai spelling difference between Taksin The Great and Thaksin the Prime Minister.

I would like to avoid pronouncing the two names identically.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Jess

[Richard Barrow]

ทักษิณ Thaksin

ตากสิน King Taksin

For the king you have to use the "dt" sound so it sounds harder at the start. Plus it is an "aa" sound for the vowel after this.

Not a good idea to get these mixed up otherwise you will say King Thaksin which will upset some people.

for us it may look the same when using Roman letters, but to Thai people, the difference is obvious and they won't understand your problem.

[Tim]

Just to add to Richard's response:

Thaksin Shinawatra (former PM)
ทักษิณ ชินวัตร

Taksin the Great (last King before Chakri dynasty)
ตากสินมหาราช

The first syllable of ตากสิน is a low tone, is longer, and there is no aspiration (the airflow indicated by the letter 'h'), compared to the first syllable of ทักษิณ, which is a high tone. The second syllables of these names, though spelled differently, are pronounced identically, with a rising tone.

[FaranginPhetch]

hell, TOXIN is how it really should be.