Thai Timed Text Style Guide

This document covers the language specific requirements for Thai. Please make sure to also review the General Requirements section and related guidelines for comprehensive instructions surrounding timed text deliveries to Netflix.

I. Thai Subtitles

I.1. Abbreviations

Do not add a space between, before or after abbreviations.
Examples:
- ท่านส.ส.กำลังเดินทางมา
- นั่นดร.มิลเบิร์น
- หนูเรียนม.สาม น้องเรียนป.สี่
Add a space in the case of official terms or for the need for clarity, e.g. two sequential abbreviations, modern abbreviated slang, etc.
Examples:
- คิมตอบว่า “ได้เลย พส.”
- ป้าย อห. หน้าร้านนี่ย่อมาจากอะไร
- โปรแกรมหนังคืนนี้ รร.รอนรก
- จอห์น เอฟ. เคนเนดี้

I.2. Acronyms

Do not use a space or period between letters of acronyms, initials or portmanteaus.
Do not follow sources that provide automatic translation and transliteration without double-checking with other media sites and Google trends.
If there are variations, use the one which is most commonly used.
Provide the translation of acronyms when the context requires, e.g. when they are mentioned for the first time and if the reading speed allows.
- Examples:
  FBI เอฟบีไอ, or สำนักงานสอบสวนกลาง
  PLO พีแอลโอ, or ขบวนการปลดปล่อยปาเลสไตน์ when a name is mentioned for the first time, and the reading speed allows, or the context requires it.
Some organizations are better known by their acronyms or translated names, e.g. WHO องค์การอนามัยโลก. Do not use ฮู, ดับบลิวเอชโอ, or ดับเบิ้ลยูเอชโอ unless the narrative requires

I.3. Character Limitation

35 characters per line (excluding all composite characters, i.e. tone marks, top and bottom vowels are not counted).

I.4. Character Names

Please refer to the Netflix Thai Transliteration Guidelines for additional information.
For content based on manga, light novels and webtoons, use the localized terms available through published versions.
Always double-check any existing names before applying them. Make sure they are not offensive, misspelled, or mistranslated.
If alternative variations exist, choose the one that is closest to the original intention of the creator.
Do not replace the existing names without valid reason.
Follow the KNP for consistency. Names should be consistent on a show level.

TYPE	English	Note	Thai
Person	Taron Egerton	Surname pronounced as EDGE-er-ton	Dub: ทาร่อน เอเจอตั้น Sub: ทารอน เอ็ดเจอร์ตัน
Person	Saoirse Ronan	Name pronounced as /ˈsɜːrʃə	เซอร์ช่า โรแนน
Person	Pete Buttigieg	Surname pronounced as BOOT-ə-jəj	Dub: พีท บูดิเชิจ Sub: พีท บูเตเจดจ์ Changed บูดิเชิจ due to incorrect pronunciation.
TITLE	Enola Holmes		เอโนลา โฮล์มส์

If variation is needed between phonetic spelling for voice-overs (สะกดตามการออกเสียงเพื่อความเหมาะสมในการพากย์) and popular transliteration (ถ่ายทอดตัวอักษรเพื่อความเหมาะสมในการอ่าน), provide a rationale.
Template: Saoirse Ronan
- Similar variations: เซอร์ชา โรนัน, เซอร์ชา โรแนน, เซอร์ช่า โรนัน are all acceptable.
- Make sure the written names look appropriate in Thai. Avoid เซอเช่อ, ทาร่อน, รอบิน, กูด, etc.
  - เซอร์ช่า โรแนน
Template: Enola Holmes
- Be consistent with the given title, i.e. use เอโนลา โฮล์มส์ for the character’s name
  - เอโนลา โฮล์มส์
Do not translate personal names.
Nicknames, epithets, and terms of endearment should only be translated if they convey a specific meaning and the context requires them to be understood.
- Rabbit, are you okay? อุซางิจัง ไม่เป็นไรใช่มั้ย (Do not translate ‘Rabbit’ as กระต่าย)
- What’s up, little bunny? เป็นไง กระต่ายน้อย
For Japanese 月島 (つきしま) 蛍 (けい)
- Japanese: うさぎ [Usagi means rabbit]
- Respect the source language’s format: family names and clan names (แซ่) should come before personal names for Chinese, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese.
- Do not add a space between family/clan names and personal names if the source language doesn’t require it.
- Follow the source if there is talent preference, or use the format which they are best known in.

I.5. Continuity

Use the single smart character (U+2026) for an ellipsis.
Use an ellipsis to indicate a pause (2 seconds or more), or an abrupt interruption.
Do not use an ellipsis at the beginning of a sentence.
Example: An ellipsis that indicates an abrupt interruption or the sentence being unfinished:

[Speaker 1] ไม่รู้สิ แต่…

[Speaker 2] ฉันไม่ไปกับเธอหรอก

[Speaker 1] ถ้าฉันรู้ก่อนก็คงดี

Example: An ellipsis that indicates a long pause:

[Speaker 1] ถ้าฉันรู้…

[Speaker 1] ฉันคงไม่ไปกับเธอหรอก

Do not overuse ellipses. They may be redundant in Thai.
- For example:
  - Using a lot of ellipsis in one sentence

ฉัน…เอิ่ม…ฉันไม่แน่ใจ…ว่า

- - Using ellipses in consecutive sentences and in consecutive scenes

- ไม่รู้สิ แต่…

- บอกมาเลย…

Do not use an ellipsis for mid-sentence pick-ups, or when the dialogue is interrupted by plot-pertinent information.

[Speaker] เช้านี้คุณอยากทานอะไรคะ

[News on TV] ได้มีการเซ็นสนธิสัญญาระหว่างอเมริกาและรัสเซีย

I.6. Documentary/Unscripted

A speaker’s title should be translated using a forced narrative subtitle only when they appear on screen for the first time. Do not include them for every appearance.
When ongoing dialogue is interrupted by a speaker’s title, use an ellipsis at the end of the sentence. Do not start the following sentence with an ellipsis.

[Subtitle 1] เราต้องร่วมมือกัน…

[FN] (แซม สมิธ - ศิลปิน นักแต่งเพลง)

[Subtitle 2] เพื่อที่จะก้าวต่อไปข้างหน้า

Do not include background dialogue unless it is plot-pertinent and the rights have been granted.
News tickers/banners from archive footage do not require subtitles unless they are plot-pertinent.

I.7. Dual Speakers

Use a hyphen followed by a space to indicate two speakers in one subtitle, with a maximum of one speaker per line.
Text in each line in a dual speaker subtitle must be a contained sentence and should not carry into the preceding or subsequent subtitle. Creating shorter sentences and timing appropriately helps to accommodate this.

I.8. Font information

Font style: Arial as a generic placeholder for proportional SansSerif
Font size: relative to video resolution and ability to fit 35 characters across the screen
Font color: White

I.9. On-screen Text

Forced narrative titles for on-screen text should only be included if plot-pertinent.
When on-screen text and dialogue overlap, precedence should be given to the most plot-pertinent message.
Avoid over truncating or severely reducing reading speed in order to include both dialogue and on-screen text.
The duration of the FN subtitle should as much as possible mimic the duration of the on-screen text, except for cases where reading speed and/or surrounding dialogue takes precedence.
Remove redundant forced narrative subtitles when the on-screen information is clear or repeated in dialogue. For example, when a speaker repeats something in dialogue which is shown on-screen, FNs are not needed.

[photography] “Toss a coin to your Witcher”

[speaker] “โปรดโยนเหรียญให้แก่วิทเชอร์” เนี่ยนะ

Forced narrative subtitles must be enclosed in parentheses (วงเล็บ), except for song lyrics, archive footage, and foreign dialogue.

[on-screen] 3 years later

[FN] (สามปีต่อมา)

If forced narrative subtitles are split into two or more subtitles, use parentheses for all.

[FN 1 sub 1] (เราขออุทิศภาพยนตร์เรื่องนี้แด่ผู้ที่จากไป)

[FN 2 sub 2] (ด้วยรักและอาลัย)

Do not combine forced narratives with dialogue subtitles.
Avoid interrupting ongoing dialogue with a forced narrative subtitle whenever possible.
When a forced narrative interrupts dialogue, use an ellipsis at the end of the dialogue subtitle.

[Subtitle 1] เราต้องร่วมมือกัน…

[FN] (แซม สมิธ - ศิลปิน นักแต่งเพลง)

[Subtitle 2] เพื่อที่จะก้าวต่อไปข้างหน้า

I.10. Foreign Dialogue

Foreign dialogue should only be translated if the viewer was meant to understand it (i.e. if it was subtitled in the original version).
Foreign words or phrases should be translated when possible (e.g. hello, goodbye, thank you, merci) or transliterated when no accurate translation exists.
Transliterate if the show requires, e.g. when it is mentioned in a show guide to keep “Abuela” for "grandma", “Führer” as a title, etc.

I.11. Italics

Do not use italics.

I.12. Line Treatment

Maximum two lines.
Keeping the translation on one line is preferred.
Line breaks are allowed when the translation exceeds the limitation, or when it may be confusing for the audience. But avoid having two short lines.
Prefer a bottom-heavy pyramid shape for subtitles when multiple line break options present themselves, but avoid having just one or two words on the top line.

I.13. Numbers

From 1 to 10, numbers should be written out: ศูนย์ หนึ่ง สอง สาม สี่ ห้า หก เจ็ด แปด เก้า สิบ
Above 10, numbers should be written numerically: 11, 12, 13, etc.
A succinct format is recommended for round numbers where possible:
Examples:
- 800,000 - แปดแสน
- 8 p.m. - สองทุ่ม
- 88,800 ล้าน - Do not use 88.8 พันล้าน
Keep scores in numerals for sports and competitions.
Examples:
- ลิเวอร์พูลเสมอแมนซิตี้ 2-2
- เซเรน่า วิลเลียมส์ชนะ 6-3 ในเซตแรก
Keep dates and times of day in numerals.
Examples:
- วันที่ 6 ตุลาคม ปี 1976
- เวลาเสียชีวิต 9:15 น.
A number that begins a sentence should be written out, except when there is an issue with space limitation, reading speed or consistency when listing multiple quantities.

[Speaker 1] - 18, 19, 20, 21…

[Speaker 2] - นับอะไรอยู่

Measurements must be converted to the metric system unless the original unit of measurement is plot-pertinent. Round up to the closest number if it doesn’t need to be exact.
Examples:
- He’s, like, six feet tall. - เขาสูง 180 ซม.ได้มั้ง
- It’s 238 miles - ระยะทาง 383 กิโลเมตร
Follow the show's era and setting. For instance, when a Chinese period drama uses 时 (shíchén) to tell the time, follow the Chinese tradition and translate it as ยาม (1 ยาม = 2 ชม.)
Do not convert คริสตศักราช (ค.ศ.) to พุทธศักราช (พ.ศ.)
Do not convert currency. Keep it per source.

I.14. Punctuation

Do not use periods [. ] for terminating punctuation. Sentences are to be separated with a single space.
Use the single smart character (U+2026) for an ellipsis.
Do not use question marks.
Do not use dashes.
Hyphens and colons are allowed in forced narrative subtitles when offering information. Use good judgment when applying them in dialogue.
Examples:

[Subtitle] อันยา เทย์เลอร์-จอย จาก “เกมกระดานแห่งชีวิต”

[FN] (พ่อ: กลับบ้านเดี๋ยวนี้!)

[FN] (นิวยอร์กซิตี้ - ปัจจุบัน)

Use exclamation marks sparingly.
Do not overuse exclamation marks.
Do not add a space before the exclamation mark.
Use commas for a list of first and last names.
Examples:

รีเบคก้า ฮอลล์, รูธ เนกก้า, เทสซา ธอมป์สัน และอเล็กซานเดอร์ สการ์สการ์ด

แซค สไนเดอร์, เดบราห์ สไนเดอร์, ฮานส์ ซิมเมอร์ส

แดเนียล เครกกับเบน วิชอว์เล่นหนังด้วยกัน - comma not needed

อิกจุน จองวอน จุนวาน ซอกฮยอง และซงฮวา - comma not needed

Use commas for profiles or bibliographies shown in forced narrative subtitles where family names come before personal names.
Examples:

[FN] (แฟ้มประวัติอาชญากรรม: เลคเตอร์, ฮันนิบาล)

[FN] (ค้นหา: วัตสัน, จอห์น)

I.15. Quotes

Use quotation marks at the start of the quotation and after the last line of the quotation, marking the beginning and end of the quotation (rather than the beginning and end of every subtitle within the quotation).
Use double quotation marks (“ ”) without spaces for regular quotations.
Use single quotation marks (‘ ’) for quotes within quotes:

“เด็กบอกว่า ‘ผมหิว’”

Use quotation marks for poetry.
Use quotation marks when a character is seen to be reading aloud.
If an on-screen character does “air quotes” when speaking, please apply quotation marks to the equivalent word in the target language in order to retain creative intent and to help ensure clarity about which word or part of the sentence the air quotes apply to.

I.16. Reading Speed Limits

Adult programs: Up to 17 characters per second
Children’s programs: Up to 13 characters per second

I.17. Repetitions

A repetition mark [ๆ] indicates where a certain word or phrase is repeated.
Examples:

ไปไกลๆ

ช่วยด้วยๆ

Industry standard requires only one space after the mark, and not before.
Examples:

ไหนๆ ก็ลงเรือลำเดียวกันแล้ว

ไม่ได้มาเล่นๆ ว่ะ

เขาต้องไปที่นั่นมาแน่ๆ ก่อนจะมาที่นี่

Do not use repetition marks for consecutive homographs (คำสองคำที่อยู่ติดกัน หน้าตาเหมือนกัน ออกเสียงเหมือนกัน แต่คนละบริบท)
Examples:

ปกติมาทุกวัน วันนี้ไม่มา not ปกติมาทุกวันๆ นี้ไม่มา

มันจะหายนะนะคะ - not มันจะหายนะๆ คะ

Do not overuse repetition marks. Use one in general, and consider using only twice if needed:
Examples:

มาร์ค! ไม่ๆ ไม่นะ

โอเคๆ ก็ได้

ไม่ๆๆ เอ่อ ไม่ใช่งั้น

Examples of incorrect use of repetition marks:

ช่วยไปไกล ๆ ทีได้มั้ย

ก็เรื่องเดิม ๆ

มันก็วน ๆอยู่อย่างนี้

ช่วยด้วย ๆ !

นาๆ ชาติรุมประณามการบริหารของรัฐบาลนี้

ไม่ๆๆๆๆ แม่ๆๆๆๆๆ

ทำอย่างนั้นได้ยังไงๆ - Repetition marks not applicable for a full sentence

Do not use repetition marks for sentences and long phrases.
If a phrase is repeated more than once by the same speaker, time the subtitle to the audio, and translate only once, unless they’re relevant to the structure, e.g. poetry and song lyrics.

I.18. Songs

Only subtitle plot-pertinent songs if the rights have been granted.
Opening and ending theme songs should only be subtitled if clearly plot-pertinent (e.g. for children’s content when the lyrics tell a story) or if instructed by Netflix. Normally, adult programs should not have the opening songs subtitled, except for SDH.
Use ellipses when a song continues in the background but is no longer subtitled to give precedence to dialogue.
Example:

[lyrics] ยายา ดิ๊งด่อง!

[lyrics:] มาลองดูสิ เรามารักมาลอง…

[speaker] ที่นี่คึกคักดีนะ

Avoid using repetition marks in song lyrics.

I.19. Titles

Main titles: Subtitle the on-screen main title for branded content when the approved title for Thai is available in KNP/Terminology and it does not match the title which appears in the card. Do not translate the main title from scratch: always use the approved title provided.
Do not subtitle when the on-screen main title and the approved title for Thai are identical and fully match. (e.g. the on-screen title is already in Thai, both read with the exact same words and spellings, etc.)
Subtitle when the approved title for Thai contains a part that is transliterated/translated/transcreated/edited and does not fully match the on-screen main title. (e.g. when the on-screen title is Our Blues but the approved title for Thai is Our Blues: เวลาสีหม่น)
When the provided translation of the main title does not work with a line break in a way that fits within the limit, the maximum character count per line or maximum line limit can be exceeded. Do not split the provided translation into multiple subtitle events.
Do not italicize the main title event.
Episode titles: do not subtitle episode titles if they do not appear on screen/are not voiced-over. If on-screen (either as part of the principal photography or burned into video) or voiced-over, please reference the KNP tool for approved translations.
Titles of published works, existing movies and TV shows: use official or well-known translations. If none are available, transliterate the original title.

I.20. Transliteration

Please follow the instructions and examples indicated in the Netflix Thai Transliteration Guidelines

I.21. Formality

Formality/register in Thai is based on kinship and relationship between individuals, as much as it is based on hierarchy.
Always be mindful of creative intent and language usage of the source material.
For non-established, unknown relationships or hierarchy: formal speech may be used, but this is not obligatory.
Take the show’s era and setting into consideration.
The use of formal and informal tone depends on the dynamic and relationships between characters within the context of the story.
Depending on the context, avoid unnecessary bias towards any specific gender, age or sex through the use of formality register and tone.

I.22. Special Instructions

All plot-pertinent dialogue should be subtitled and takes precedence over background dialogue.
Dialogue (including expletives) should be rendered as faithfully as possible, without using dialect or words that would otherwise introduce a level of obscenity not implied in the content.
Always match the tone of the original content, while remaining relevant to the target audience (e.g. replicate tone, register, class, formality, etc. in the target language in an equivalent way).
Deliberate misspellings and mispronunciations should not be reproduced in the translation unless plot-pertinent.
When brand names or trademarks appear, you may either; use the same name if it is known in the territory you are translating for; adapt to the name that the brand or product is known by that the territory you are translating for; or use a generic name for that product or item. Avoid swapping out names of brands, companies or famous people for other names.
Retain "Netflix" in English. Do not transliterate.
Depending on the show’s setting and era, colloquialisms and modern vernacular may be used as long as they are appropriate for the content.
Examples:
- ไง/เป็นไงมั่ง/เป็นไงบ้าง/เป็นไง/เป็นยังไง/เป็นอย่างไร are acceptable
- นึง in นิดนึง, แป๊บนึง, is acceptable as long as it fits the tone of the show
- หรือไม่/ไหม/มั้ย/มะ เท่าไหร่ are acceptable and can be used to indicate levels of formality, tone, etc.
For a first person pronoun, avoid using ชั้น instead of ฉัน
For third and first person pronouns, เค้า may be used in exceptional cases. It is acceptable in modern settings, but must not replace เขา altogether. Likewise, use หล่อน carefully since it can be awkward in a modern setting.
Examples:
- สู้เค้าสิวะหญิง and สู้เขาสิวะหญิง are acceptable
- คาลเป็นนอนไบนารี ถ้านายชอบเค้า งั้นนายเป็นเกย์หรือไบ
Pronouns can be omitted, or sometimes replaced with personal names.
Examples:
- เธอถามเมโลดี้หรือยัง or แล้วถามเมโลดี้รึยัง
- เราชื่อริดลีย์ ไม่ใช้สรรพนามเจาะจงเพศ
When translating swearing and profanity, always opt for a translation of the same/equivalent severity and intent. Avoid literal or direct translations which may result in a stronger or softer translation.

I.23. Reference

For all language-related issues not covered in this document, please refer to:
- https://dictionary.orst.go.th

II. Thai SDH

For Thai SDH, please follow the linguistic and stylistic points in the sections above as well as the following SDH-specific guidelines.

II.1. Accuracy of Content

Include as much of the original content as possible.
Do not simplify or water down the original dialogue.
Where content has been dubbed into Thai, please refer to the dubbing script or dubbed audio as the basis for the SDH file and ensure that the two match as much as reading speed and timings allow.
For TV/movie clips, if possible, all audible lines should be transcribed. If the audio interferes with dialogue, please give precedence to the most plot-pertinent content.

II.2. Character Limits and Reading Speed Limits

With the addition of speaker IDs and sound labels in the subtitle, the reading speed limits can be increased to:
- Adult programs: Up to 20 characters per second
- Children’s programs: Up to 17 characters per second
Truncating the original dialogue should be limited to instances where reading speed and synchronicity to the audio are an issue.
35 characters per line (excluding all composite characters, i.e. tone marks, top and bottom vowels are not counted).

II.3. Line Treatment

Maximum two lines.
Keeping the translation on one line is preferred.
When using an identifier to describe the speaker's action with sound, avoid having the top line with the brackets ([ ]) alone, and please keep the dialogue on the same line.

Avoid this:

[กระซิบ]

เดินตามผมมานะ

Instead, prefer:

[กระซิบ] เดินตามผมมานะ

Prefer a bottom-heavy pyramid shape for subtitles when multiple line break options present themselves, but avoid having just one or two words on the top line.

II.4. Speaker IDs

Use square brackets [ ] to enclose speaker IDs and sound effects.
Identify the speaker using correct information, and try find a balance between not revealing too much of the plot and redacting excessive information.
- When characters are not yet identified, use [ผู้ชาย] or [ผู้หญิง], so as not to provide information that is not yet present in the narrative.
- Once a character has been identified, the context can be added to the speaker ID for clarity and smoothness, i.e. [นักเรียน], [ตำรวจ], and [ประธาน]
- Avoid revealing the name of a character that needs to be kept secret when the scene doesn’t require it.
Only use speaker IDs or sound effects when they cannot be visually identified.
In the continuing scene where the speaker is not visible but the dialog continues from the previous scene, use best judgment to keep the identifier or remove it to avoid being redundant.
Gender-neutral identifiers like [ผู้ประกาศข่าว], [หมอ], or [พนักงานขาย] can be used where appropriate.
Speaker IDs and the corresponding dialogue should ideally be on the same line, e.g. [ผู้บรรยาย] กาลครั้งหนึ่งนานมาแล้ว ยังมี…
The speaker’s location or source can be used to describe the scenario and distinguish between the on-scene character and the off-scene speaker.
- If the speaker talks through the phone, [ผู้ชายในสาย] or [แม่ในสาย] can be used where appropriate.
- If the speaker announces or says something through a specific device, [ประกาศทางลำโพง], [จนท.ชายพูดผ่านลำโพง], or [กัปตันประกาศจากห้องนักบิน] can be used where appropriate.
Where appropriate, the speaker’s actions or movements that result in sounds can be used to help tell the story or add more context to the scene.
- [กระซิบ] can be used when the speaker whispers to someone
- [ขยับปากไม่มีเสียงพูด] can be used when the speaker speaks without sound
- [พึมพำ] can be used when the speaker mumbles
- [ออกแรงดึงสุดชีวิต] can be used to the speaker grunts when pulling something
- [แรป] can be used when a speaker/character is rapping
The speaker’s expression of emotion can be used to help illustrate the feeling and add more context to the scene, where appropriate.
- [พูดแบบใจสั่น] can be used when the speaker speaks shiveringly
- [ลินดาครางหวิวหวาม] can be used to enhance the emotion of the scene
- [แมตต์พูดเสียงสูง] can be used when the speaker speaks in a high pitch
- [พูดเป็นทำนองเพลง] can be used when the speaker speaks to a musical melody
- [ตะคอก] can be used when the speaker is scolding someone
- [ทำเสียงทะเล้น] can be used when the speaker speaks mockingly

II.5. Dual Speakers, Multiple Events and Continuity

If possible, try to keep the sentence complete for one speaker before moving to a new line for the next speaker, unless there is an abrupt interruption or the sentence is unfinished. In those cases, use an ellipsis to indicate a pause (2 seconds or more), or an abrupt interruption.
- Example: An ellipsis that indicates an abrupt interruption or the sentence being unfinished:

[ชาย] ไม่รู้สิ แต่…

[หญิงไอและจาม]

[ชาย] ถ้าฉันรู้ก่อนก็คงดี

- Example: An ellipsis that indicates a long pause with the same speaker:

[สิน] ถ้าฉันรู้… ฉันคงไม่ไปกับเธอหรอก

Do not overuse ellipses. They may be redundant in Thai.
- Example:
  - Using a lot of ellipsis in one sentence:

ฉัน…เอิ่ม…ฉันไม่แน่ใจ…ว่า

- - Using ellipses in consecutive sentences and in consecutive scenes:

- ไม่รู้สิ แต่…

- บอกมาเลย…

Do not use an ellipsis for mid-sentence pick-ups, or when the dialogue is interrupted by plot-pertinent information.

[ภรรยา] เช้านี้คุณอยากทานอะไรคะ

[ข่าวโทรทัศน์] ได้มีการเซ็นสนธิสัญญาระหว่างอเมริกาและรัสเซีย

When a dual-speaker subtitle appears in a song, e.g., when there is a duet, each line of sung text should have a music note at the beginning and end to clearly indicate that both characters are singing.

♪ แฮปปี้เบิร์ธเดย์ทูยู ♪

When two or more speakers say the same thing or speak in unison, there are two approaches:
- For sounds that do not complement dialogue, use the term [ทั้งคู่], for example:

[ทั้งคู่กรีดร้อง]

[ทั้งคู่ไอเสียงดัง]

[ทั้งคู่หัวเราะมีความสุข]

- For sounds that complement dialogue, use the term [พร้อมกัน] followed by the dialogue, for example:

[พูดพร้อมกัน] วันแข่ง

[ทั้งหมดพูดพร้อมกัน] ดื่มเลย! ดื่มเลย! ดื่มเลย!

Use a hyphen with a space to indicate two speakers in one subtitle, with a maximum of one speaker per line.

- จะตามมาไหม

- รอแป๊บนึงสิ

When identifiers are needed, they should follow the hyphen as follows:

- [เอก] จะตามมาไหม

- [แจน] รอแป๊บนึงสิ

Hyphens are also used to indicate a speaker and a sound effect if they come from different sources:

- [โจหัวเราะบ้าคลั่ง]

- [มาเรีย] คุณทำแบบนี้ได้ยังไง

When more than two people speak in the same scene, opt for the two speakers who are most plot-relevant to avoid clutter.
Be detailed and descriptive. Use adverbs where appropriate when describing sounds and music.
Describe voices, speed of speech, and volume of sounds.
Describe the sounds and audio as opposed to visual elements or actions.
Sound effects that interrupt dialogue should be treated as follows:

Subtitle 1: แต่ช่วงนี้ฉัน…

[ไอและจาม]

Subtitle 2: เห็นแบบนี้บ่อยมาก

II.6. Foreign Dialogue

Foreign dialogue should only be translated if the viewer was meant to understand it (i.e. if it was subtitled in the original version).
Foreign words or phrases should be translated when possible (e.g. hello, goodbye, thank you, merci) or transliterated when no accurate translation exists.
Transliterate if the show requires, e.g. when a show guide mentions keeping “Abuela” for "grandma", “Führer” as a title, etc.
Identify the language using square brackets, if needed, always with the word ภาษา as พูดภาษาอังกฤษ, don’t use just พูดอังกฤษ unless the reading speed is exceeded.
- [จอห์นพูดภาษาอังกฤษ] ฮาวร์ อาร์ ยู
- [ผู้ชายพูดภาษาอังกฤษ] พูดแบบนี้หมายความว่ายังไง
- [พ่อพูดภาษาสเปน] เดินต่อไปเรื่อยๆ อย่าหยุด
Dialect or accent description can be used if it is plot-pertinent or needs to clarify the scene/action, for example:
- [พูดสำเนียงอังกฤษ] ไม่คิดว่าจะได้เจอกันซะแล้ว
In instances of foreign dialogue being spoken:
- If foreign dialogue is translated, use [in language], for example [ภาษาสเปน]
- If foreign dialogue is not meant to be understood, use [speaking language], for example [พูดภาษาสเปน]
- Always research the language being spoken – [พูดภาษาต่างชาติ] should never be used.

II.7. Songs

All same-language audible songs that do not interfere with dialogue should be subtitled.
Use song title identifiers when applicable. Song titles should be in quotes: [เพลง "Forever Your Girl" บรรเลง]. The song title should remain in English.
If there is a long section of music playing, identify the start of the piece by including the label [เพลงร็อกบรรเลงต่อเนื่อง], [ดนตรีประกอบแนวสิ้นหวัง], [เพลงเปียโนจังหวะสนุกสนาน], [ดนตรีหยุดชะงัก], and [เพลงหยุด]
Song lyrics should be enclosed with a music note (♪) at the beginning and the end of each subtitle.
Add a space between the music note and the preceding or subsequent text.

II.8. Sound Effects

When describing sounds and sound effects, do not use the word เสียง. Instead, describe the sound/action. Use your best judgment when making a decision.
- [สตาร์ทรถมอเตอร์ไซค์], [ติดเครื่องยนต์] instead of [เสียงสตาร์ทรถมอเตอร์ไซค์]
- [ระเบิด] instead of [เสียงระเบิดตูม]
- [อุปกรณ์ดิจิทัลแจ้งเตือน] instead of [เสียงดิจิทัลดังบี๊บๆ]
- [ประกาศเสียงตามสาย] instead of [เสียงระบบพีเอดังติ๊งต่อง]
- [เคาะแป้นคีย์บอร์ด] instead of [เสียงเคาะแป้นคีย์บอร์ด]
Describing sounds should involve identifying what the sound is, focusing on specifying the source of the sound rather than using generic descriptions of natural sounds. Use your best judgment when making a decision.
- [ยิงปืน] instead of [เสียงปืนปัง]
- [ระเบิดดังกึกก้อง] instead of [เสียงระเบิดตูม]
- [น้ำไหล] instead of [เสียงน้ำไหลซู่]
- [ผู้ชมเชียร์] instead of [เสียงเฮ]
- [ผู้ชมหัวเราะ] instead of [เสียงฮ่าฮ่า]
When describing ambient sound, focus on depicting the scene with the sound and the atmosphere, not just the actual sound itself. Use your best judgment when making a decision.
- [ระฆังตีบอกเวลา ผู้คนจอแจ]
- [ประกาศสนามบินดังแว่วเป็นระยะ]
- [รายงานข่าวในทีวี]
- [คนผ่านไปมาคุยกันแว่วๆ]
Use a generic ID to indicate and describe ambient music, e.g. [เพลงร็อค] or [เพลงแจ๊สทางวิทยุ]
Plot-pertinent sound effects should always be included unless inferred by the visuals.
Subtitle silence if plot-pertinent. For example, when plot-pertinent music ends abruptly.
- [เพลงหยุดกะทันหัน]
- [ทารกหยุดร้อง]

II.9. Special SDH Instructions for Thai Titles

Include as much of the original content as possible. Since the content is in the Thai language, viewers may be able to lip-read or follow mouth movements. Truncation and sentence reformulation should only be used in Thai SDH in cases where severe reading speed issues are present.
Keep transliterated words in dialogue to preserve the integrity of the content and avoid confusion for well-known terms, unless the term is very hard to understand.
- โอเค can be kept as is
- คอนเฟิร์ม can be kept as is
- เมนต์/คอมเมนต์ can be kept as is
In cases where a regional dialect is present in the dialogue, adapt it into standard Thai unless there is a specific direction to keep the regional dialect for creative intent. Use your best judgment when it comes to the language identifier:
- If the whole film or series is spoken in a certain dialect, there might be no need to add the identifier.
- If the whole scene is spoken in a certain dialect, there might be no need to add the identifier.
- If the scene involves back-and-forth switching between dialects, add an identifier when needed, while ensuring it is not too cluttered.

II.10. Special Instructions

Censorship of profanity for supplementals.
- There are two approaches to censoring profanity which has been bleeped:
  - Use *** to replace a word to guarantee it is living room safe
    - อีดอก → อี***
    - ไอ้เหี้ย → ไอ้***
  - Use * to replace a character to guarantee it is living room safe
    - ไอ้สัตว์ → ไอ้สั*ว์
    - โง่เป็นควาย → โง่เป็นค*าย
Always match the tone of the original content, while remaining relevant to the target audience (e.g. replicate tone, register, class, formality, etc. in the target language in an equivalent way).
Deliberate misspellings and mispronunciations should not be reproduced in the translation unless plot-pertinent.
If there are slang or trendy terms in the script, try to keep them as much as possible (do not redact or change them to simplify them) to ensure that the subtitles are up-to-date and inclusive for the audience.
To provide the best experience for hard-of-hearing viewers, Thai SDH subtitles should reflect the actual phonetic sounds rather than the correct spelling or formal form. Adhering strictly to formal spelling can dilute the mood and tone of Thai dialogue. It is preferable to use spellings that capture the true pronunciation or informal tones.
- Examples: No need to change the spelling to the formal way if the actual pronunciation is informal
  - เปล่า/ปะ/ป่ะ
  - อ้าว/เอ้า
  - หรือเปล่า/รึป่ะ
  - อย่างนี้/อย่างงี้/อย่างเงี้ย
  - น่ะ/อ่ะ
  - โอ๊ย/โฮ้ย
  - สิ/ดิ

It is advisable not to overuse casual endings and to use them sparingly, especially if they could potentially dampen the viewing experience instead of elevating it.
- Example 1:

แบบนั้นมันจะยิ่งลงเหวอะ

เหวอะ has a meaning in and of itself. In this case, removing อะ will be better for readability, or use alternative spelling อ่ะ

- Example 2 (from within the same scene):

คุณอะ คิดมากอะดิ

ต่อให้มันจะเป็นเงี้ยอะ

ฉันอะ ก็ไม่สนหรอก

คนเราอะ มันต้องสู้ต่อไปดิ

In serious content, a transcription with too many unnecessary “filler” words may be disturbing and unnecessary for most audiences. Omit where possible.

Change Log:

2025-07-07

TTSG now divided into I. Subtitles and II. SDH, sections renumbered accordingly
Revised section I.5 Continuity - 6th bullet about overusing ellipses now expanded with new examples
Revised section I.22 Special Instructions - final bullet added covering translation of swearing and profanity
Section I.23 SDH deleted
New II. SDH section added

2025-04-18

Revised section 23 SDH - 7th bullet point edited to remove "if rights have been granted"

2024-12-20

Revised section 2 Acronyms - 4th, 5th and 6th bullet edited for clarity

2023-12-21

Revised section 23 SDH Guidelines - 9th bullet updated with a new example

2022-12-22

Revised sections 16 Reading Speed and 23 SDH - sections edited to mention "reading speed limits" and "up to"

2022-11-03

Revised section 19 Titles - "for branded content" added

2022-10-07

Revised section 19 Titles - rules added/edited to include main title translations

2022-02-25

Added section 1 Abbreviations - subsequent sections renumbered
Added section 2 Acronyms - subsequent sections renumbered
Revised section 3 Character Limitation - bullet point expanded
Revised section 4 Character Names - whole section revised and examples added
Revised section 5 Continuity - section revised and examples added
Revised section 6 Documentary/Unscripted - examples added
Revised section 7 Dual Speakers - example removed
Revised section 9 On-screen Text - revised from 5th bullet point onwards
Revised section 10 Foreign Dialogue - 3rd bullet point added
Revised section 12 Line Treatment - 2nd and 3rd bullet points added
Revised section 13 Numbers - whole section revised and examples added
Revised section 14 Punctuation - whole section revised and examples added
Revised section 17 Repetitions - whole section revised and examples added
Revised section 18 Songs - example added and final bullet point edited
Revised section 20 Transliteration - link to Netflix Thai Transliteration Guidelines added
Revised section 21 Formality - whole section revised
Revised section 22 Special Instructions - edited from 6th bullet point onwards
Revised section 24 Reference - new reference link added

2021-10-22

Revised section 13 Quotation marks - 1st bullet point reworded for clarity

2021-07-11

Revised section 10 Line Treatment - 3rd bullet point added
Revised section 13 Quotes - 6th bullet point added
Revised section 15 Repetitions - section re-written and new examples added
Revised section 20 Special Instructions - 5th bullet point added
Revised section 21 SDH Guidelines - 11th and 12th bullet points added

2021-02-24

Revised section 21 SDH Guidelines - localized examples added

2021-02-01

Revised section 2 Character names - 6th bullet point and examples added

2020-11-01

Revised section 5 Dual Speakers - 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 10 Line Treatment - 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 11 Numbers - 10th bullet point added
Revised section 13 Quotation Marks - 4th and 5th bullet points added
Added section 18 Transliteration - Rules copied from original Special Instructions section, 2nd and 3rd bullet points expanded and clarified
Added section 19 Formality and Tone - subsequent sections renumbered
Revised section 20 Special Instructions - added 5th bullet point and examples regarding abbreviations

2020-07-26

Revised section 2 Character Names - pointed edited for clarity around transliteration and translation approaches
Revised section 3 Continuity - 1st bullet point added clarifying the type of ellipsis permitted
Revised section 4 Documentary and Unscripted - 2nd bullet revised removing conflicting advice re pick-up ellipses
Revised section 7 On-screen Text - final bullet revised removing conflicting advice re pick-up ellipses
Revised section 11 Numbers - 3rd, 7th, 8th and 9th bullets added for additional clarity
Revised section 12 Punctuation - 2nd bullet revised, 3rd bullet added
Revised section 13 Quotations - 4th bullet about punctuation within quotations removed
Revised section 15 Repetitions - 3rd bullet added
Revised section 19 SDH Guidelines - 3rd bullet point reworded
Revised section 20 Reference - Longdo Dictionary reference removed, please do not use this resource

2020-05-08

Revised section 18 Special Instructions - 3rd bullet point added
Revised section 19 SDH Guidelines - 3rd bullet point added

2018-06-04

Revised section 7 On-screen Text - section header revised for clarity

2018-03-09

Added section 4 Documentary
Revised section 7 Forced Narratives - 2nd, 3rd and 6th bullet points added
Revised section 8 Foreign Dialogue - 2nd bullet point removed
Revised section 11 Numbers - 4th bullet point revised, 5th bullet point added
Revised section 13 Quotes - rewritten for clarity
Revised section 16 Songs - 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 17 Titles - 2nd bullet point revised
Revised section 18 Special Instructions - 5th bullet point added
Revised section 19 SDH Guidelines - renamed and expanded for clarity

2017-05-05

Revised section 3 Continuity - 3rd bullet point revised, example added
Revised section 13 Reading Speed - words per minute removed
Revised section 14 Repetitions - 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 16 Titles - 1st bullet point revised
Revised section 17 Special Instructions - 4th bullet point added
Revised section 18 SDH Guidelines - rewritten for clarity
Revised section 19 Reference - rewritten for clarity

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