In the first instance is sorted according to the consonants, and in the order in which we learn it:

ก ข ฃ ค ฅ ฆ ง จ ฉ ช ซ ฌ ญ ฎ ฏ ฐ ฑ ฒ ณ ด ต ถ ท ธ น บ ป ผ ฝ พ ฟ ภ ม ย ร ฤ ล ฦ ว ศ ษ ส ห ฬ อ ฮ

This list contains the two characters no longer in use (in gray) and also the characters reu and leu (red), which are vowels.

The second criterion are the vowels in the following order:

ะ ั า ำ ิ ี ึ ื ุ ู เ แ โ ใ ไ

The last five listed here are written in front of the initial consonant of a syllable and require special consideration: They are sorted as they would stand behind the next consonant. In the case of a double initial consonant, this characters move to a place between the two character initial consonant. Remaining parts of a vowel combination stay at her place around the last initial consonant.

Sound and other diacritical marks remain completely ignored in the first step of sorting.

The first step is to reorder the preceding vowels to a position behind the consonant.

The second step of sorting then compares character by character from two words, until there is a difference. The first different character determines the order in the sorted list: two different consonants in according to the priority list of the consonants, a consonant has higher priority than vowels, two vowels, the list of vowels decides pursuance of the said priority. If the search for the first different character reaches the end of one word before the end of the other word, then the shorter term has the higher priority.

The comparison in the example above shows only the last character is a difference. As it is two words is consonant and consonant น is on the table before บ, the second word will be sorted before the first.

From the non-consideration of sound and other special characters may arise that two different words are completely the same after the first step:

If the two words are absolutely the same, then (and only then) special characters are thus incorporated in a additional step in the following priority order:

This results in difference. At the fourth position of the first word is a ย, the second word has a ่. Again, the consonant table takes precedence. For involved special characters the priority order is:

่ ้ ๊ ๋ ็ ์ ๆ ฯ

 

Summary

1. When checking two words for their order in the sorted list, the words are compared character by character from left to right until a first difference occurs. This difference alone decides the ordering according to the above priorities. It does not play a role, how many characters were the same before, yet what follows behind it. From vowel combinations include only the individual characters in their respective positions in relation to the sign which can be found at the same position in comparison word. Only the conversion of the preceding vowel points behind the next consonant is of importance.
2. If it becomes apparent that the two words are equal, existing sound and other special characters are included in a additional step. If this shows a difference, this will made the decision about the order.
3. Is the shorter one of two words is identical to the beginning of the longer word, the shorter word is sorted in the first position.

 

Special case: Compound Words

The first two words in the following list are - viewed in isolation - in the correct order, because the first three characters are the same and therefore the shorter word has a higher priority. Because the third word is identical to the first while ignoring the sound sign, it wouldt be in order to the tone rules sortet to second place. In fact, there are dictionaries in which the following sequence is applied:

จอง	[dja:wng--]	v. oder, book
จองตั๋ว	[dja:wng--tu:a \/]	v. order a ticket
จ้อง	[dja:wng /\]	v. to stare at
จ้องดู	[dja:wng /\ du:--]	v. stare, keep an eye on

The envisaged by this order meaning is unmistakable. However, this order does not follow the rules described above. With their application, the following sequence would occure:

จอง	[djô:ng--]	v. oder, book
จ้อง	[djô:ng /\]	v. to stare at
จ้องดู	[djô:ng /\ du:--]	v. stare, keep an eye on
จองตั๋ว	[djô:ng--tu:a \/]	v. order a ticket

Both sorts are considered as correct. Today probably more dictionaries are sorted with the help of computers than by hand. Therefore the current dictionaries are probably sorted by the rule and showthe words in the order of the second list.

 

Sorting with Excel

While earlier versions did not know the Thai sort rules and have simply compared character by character, a test with Excel 2013 shows the correct sorting according to the rules described on this page.

 

 

 

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