Let’s go to the cinema 
Thai Cinema Vocabulary to help make your trip to the movies more enjoyable in Thailand.
To say “go to the cinema” in Thai is “bpai doo năng” The word ‘năng’ is a colloquial word which means “movie” and the word ‘cinema’ in Thai is ‘rong-năng’. The most recognized cinemas in Thailand are SF Cinema, Major Cineplex and EGV. One good thing when you buy the ticket or ‘dtuă-năng’ in Thai is that you can select the seat and you can also call to book the ticket and pick it up about 30 minutes – 1 hour before the movie starts.
In Thailand, there is not only a Thai movie but also international movies too…mostly from Hollywood, Korea and Hong Kong.
Thai Cinema Vocabulary
1. Type of movies
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Thai movie = năng-Thai หนังไทย
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Western movie = năng fá-ràng หนังฝรั่ง
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Chinese movie = năng jeen หนังจีน
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Korean movie = năng gao-leě หนังเกาหลี
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Japanese movie = năng yeê-pùn หนังญี่ปุ่น
2. Genre of movies
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Action movie = năng boó = หนังบู๊
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Sci-Fi movie = năng (naew) wíd-tá-yaa-saàd = หนัง(แนว)วิทยาศาสตร์
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Romantic movie= năng rák = หนังรัก
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Comedy movie = năng dtà-lòk = หนังตลก
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Drama movie = năng chee-wít = หนังชีวิต
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Investigation movie= năng (naew) seùb-suăn-sàwb-suăn= หนัง(แนว)สืบสวนสอบสวน
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Horror movie = năng sà-yăwng-kwăn = หนังสยองขวัญ
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Ghost movie = năng peě = หนังผี
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Animation movie= năng gaa-dtoon = หนังการ์ตูน
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Period movie = năng (naew) yáwn-yúk = หนัง(แนว)ย้อนยุค
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Historic movie = năng (naew) bprà-wàd-dtì-saàd = หนัง(แนว)ประวัติศาสตร์
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War movie = năng sŏng-kraam = หนังสงคราม
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Criminal movie = năng aàd-chá-yaa-gam = หนังอาชญากรรม
3. Characters in the movie
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Main actor = prá-aìk = พระเอก
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Main actress = naang-aìk = นางเอก
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Supporting actor = prá-rawng = พระรอง
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Supporting actress = naang-rawng = นางรอง
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Bad guy = dtua gohng = ตัวโกง
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Bad woman = naang-raaí = นางร้าย
Now I guess you can talk to your Thai friends about the movie that you’ve seen and also to ask your friends out to the cinema.
Oh one more thing, please don’t forget to pay respect to His Majesty the King by standing up when the Royal Anthem (Pleng Săn-soěrn-prá-baa-rá-mee เพลงสรรเสริญพระบารมี ) plays before the movie.
Kru Mulan
Thai Language Teacher
