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Website development

Bilingual Thai English website development done the right way

Thai and English websites from THB 30,000: a real page in each language, each with its own URL, hreflang tags and proper Thai typography.

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Why does a site in Thailand need two languages?

Because your Thai customers search and trust in Thai, while foreign customers, expat residents, tourists and overseas buyers search in English, and one language version cannot rank for both sets of searches. A machine-translated version rarely convinces either group.

A bilingual Thai English website is one site with two complete language versions: every important page exists in Thai and in English, each at its own address, linked to its twin so Google and visitors can move between them. It is part of our Business package, from THB 30,000.

It is not an English site with a translate button. Thai readers search with Thai words and Thai spelling habits, and they trust a page that reads like it was written for them. A regional head office or an overseas buyer expects the same care in English.

This page covers only the language layer. For the rest of the build, from planning to launch, see our main website development service.

How a bilingual site is structured

Google's own guidance for multilingual sites is clear: give each language its own URL, and tell search engines which pages are translations of each other with hreflang annotations that point both ways. We build every bilingual site on that pattern.

On WordPress there are two sound ways to do it: a translation plugin that pairs pages inside one installation, or a small Multisite network with one site per language. Our article on WordPress Multisite compares the two. We choose with you based on how different the two versions need to be.

  • A URL per languageFor example /services/ in English and /th/services/ in Thai, never both languages on one address.
  • hreflang on every paired pageEach version names itself and its twin, plus an x-default for everyone else.
  • A switcher that goes to the matching pageSwitching language on a room or product page lands on the same room or product, not the Thai home page.
  • No automatic redirects by browser languageVisitors and search engines can reach both versions; the switcher is their choice.
  • Separate titles and descriptionsWritten for how each audience searches, not translated word for word.

Thai copy and Thai typography

Native copy, not machine translation

Machine translation has improved, but it still produces Thai that sounds stiff, picks the wrong register for a business page and mangles service names. Thai readers notice within a sentence. Who writes or translates your Thai content is agreed in the quote: some businesses supply both languages, others supply English and have Thai written by their own team. Either way, we lay out and check each language as its own page.

Why Thai needs its own typography

  • No spaces between words. Thai uses spaces between phrases, not words, so line breaks depend on the browser's word dictionary. We test long headings on real phones so words are not split badly.
  • Taller lines. Vowels and tone marks sit above and below the letters, so Thai needs more line height than English, or marks collide with the line above.
  • A font made for Thai. A Latin font with a system fallback for Thai looks mismatched. We pair a Thai typeface with the English one and load only the weights used. Our guide to Thai fonts for websites lists good options.

If you are planning the content yourself, the step-by-step guide on how to build a bilingual Thai English website covers page mapping and writing both versions.

Forms, emails and notices in both languages

The language layer does not stop at page copy. A Thai visitor who fills in a form should see Thai labels, Thai error messages and a Thai confirmation. The consent line under the form and the cookie banner must be understandable in the language the visitor chose, because the PDPA expects consent requests in clear, plain language. We set up:

  • Form labels, placeholders and validation messages in both languages.
  • Auto-reply emails that match the language of the form.
  • A cookie banner and privacy notice in Thai and English, as set in your quote.
  • Enquiry notifications to your team that say which language the lead used, so the right person answers.

Hotels, clinics and exporters

Some businesses cannot really work in one language. A guesthouse or resort takes bookings from Thai weekenders and international guests alike, which is why we plan a hotel website in two languages from the first sitemap. A private clinic serving medical travellers needs treatment pages that foreign patients understand. A Thai manufacturer selling abroad needs English product pages for buyers and Thai pages for local distributors and recruits, which is the core of corporate website design for exporters.

In each case the Thai and English pages can differ: a Thai page might stress PromptPay and LINE contact, the English one airport transfer details or export shipping terms. That is a content decision as much as a technical one; our piece on web design vs web development explains how the two sides share the work.

How much does a bilingual website cost?

Two languages are part of our Business package, from THB 30,000 as an indicative one-time price, with up to 15 pages, a custom WordPress theme without a page builder, two revision rounds, forms and schema markup. A typical project takes about 15 days. The final price is set in your written quote; our page on website design cost explains what moves it.

  • Business

    from THB 30,000indicative, one-time

    For established companies with more pages, two languages and lead capture.

    • Up to 15 pages, English and Thai, two revision rounds
    • Custom WordPress theme, no page builder
    • Blog, forms, booking or enquiry flows
    • Keyword mapping and schema markup
    Business details
See full pricing

Indicative starting prices, one-time. The final price is set in the written quote for each project, and payment terms are set out in your quote.

Bilingual guides

More on planning a site in two languages. When you know which pages you need in each, request a quote from a web design agency based in Bangkok that works in both.

Sources

Common questions

Do you translate our content into Thai?

Translation is not automatically included; who writes each language is agreed in your quote. Some businesses provide the Thai text from their own staff or a translator they trust, which keeps product and service names consistent with how they already talk to customers. We then lay out both versions, check Thai line breaks and headings, and flag anything that reads like it came from a machine.

Is Google Translate good enough for a bilingual website?

For a quick read by a visitor, sometimes. For your business pages, no. A translate widget creates no separate Thai pages that can rank in Thai search, the wording often sounds unnatural, and it cannot handle forms, emails or consent text properly. A real Thai version, written for Thai readers and published at its own address, does all of that.

Should each language have its own URL?

Yes. Google recommends separate URLs for each language version, linked with hreflang tags that point in both directions. That lets Thai searchers land on the Thai page and English searchers on the English page. Serving both languages from one address, or switching language with cookies alone, makes it hard for search engines to find and show the right version.

Can Thai and English pages have different content?

Yes, and they often should. The two audiences ask different questions: Thai customers may want LINE contact and PromptPay details, foreign visitors may want directions in English and currency or visa notes. The pages stay paired for hreflang as long as they cover the same topic. Some pages can even exist in one language only, which we map in the page plan.

Which package includes two languages?

The Business package, from THB 30,000 as an indicative one-time price. It includes up to 15 pages in English and Thai, a custom WordPress theme, two revision rounds, forms, booking or enquiry flows, keyword mapping and schema markup. The Starter package, up to five pages, does not list a second language. Your written quote confirms the final scope and price.

Tell us about your website

Send a few lines on WhatsApp or through the quote form. You get a written quote with the scope, timeline and price for your project.

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Or WhatsApp or call +66 93 004 4098, every day, 10:00 to 19:00 ICT. service@websitedevelopmentbangkok.com

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