A Guide For Your Thai Technical Translation

The promising Thai market attracts a huge number of foreign enterprises, resulting in a significant increase in demand for Thai technical translation services. 

As the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia with well-enforced laws and a stable economic growth rate, Thailand is an ideal destination for many global companies seeking global success.

To conquer this lucrative market, you not only need to prove the quality of your products/services but also to translate your technical content to fit well with Thais’ regulations and expectations.

In this article, we will cover what exactly technical translation is and what you need to consider to have outstanding Thai technical translation.  

What types of technical translations are there?

Thai technical translation is a type of specialized translation that involves the translation of documents created by technical writers such as owner’s manuals, user guides, etc. In particular, they are texts that relate to technological subject areas or texts that deal with the practical application of scientific and technological information. 

Thai technical translation covers the translation of a wide range of specialized texts into the Thai language. This process requires a deep understanding of the subject knowledge as well as a command of the related terminology and writing conventions.

Some of the types of Thai technical content include:

#1. Patents

The patent normally covers extensive claims for a patented product, but not much detail is revealed in explaining how the product works.

For patent writing and translation for any market including the Thai market, a thorough understanding of the industry, particularly the patented product, is required. Patents must also comply with Thai legal and practical standards. A patent’s scope might be limited if too much information is revealed. To satisfy the criteria of the business or individual seeking the patent, selecting a Thai technical translator with expertise in dealing with patents is preferred. 

#2. User Manuals

User manuals are a sort of technical writing that explains to the readers how to use a product and complete certain tasks. Because translating a user manual can require intricate technical knowledge, it’s critical to hire a Thai translator who knows how to use an objective, instructional tone and can translate the instructions into simple, straightforward technical terminology that anyone in the target language can understand.

The accuracy of user manual translation is a must since even the slightest error might harm the brand’s reputation as well as cause safety issues, especially if the product is related to the medical/legal field. This is why Thai technical translators should be the only ones entrusted with such sensitive information.

#3. Software Strings

Another type of Thai technical translation is the translation of software strings for the user interface. User interfaces may appear to be simply worded at first look, but a Thai translator must have a thorough understanding of technical terminology.

As abbreviations of terms in the Thai language can frequently be used, it’s ideal to work with a Thai technical translator who is familiar with the software, the language, and which abbreviations are universal and should be kept in English. You should work with a professional Thai translation company to have your Thai technical translation effectively translated.

#4. Scientific, Engineering, and Technical Articles

Delving into the area of scientific, technical, and engineering article translations presents translators with a unique set of challenges. Being proficient in both Thai and other languages is not enough; a Thai translator must also have a strong background in the technical field, as these pieces must meet strict criteria in order to be published in journals and news sources.

What to consider in Thai technical translation?

#1. You need Thai technical translators

Some areas of Thai technical content translation need not just professional translation abilities, but also an understanding of the subject matter. For particularly timely and complicated topics of technical translation, Thai technical translation service providers may need to conduct independent studies to completely comprehend the material. Let’s take medical content for example. Translating medical information without a background in medicine may end up doing more damage than good. The same applied to heavy equipment instructional materials, as well as software and engineering translations that come under the technical translation umbrella.

You can evaluate the expertise of technical translators by their education, qualification, and work experience. They should also have extensive experience in the chosen field and be equipped with the most recent English-to-Thai dictionaries.

#2. A translated document can take up more space

You should beware that translating from English to Thai will result in a text that is on average 15% longer than the technical original. 

As a result, if you want the translated technical content to be given in a certain number of characters for a specific layout, you should inform your translation provider right from the beginning. 

#3. Localizing your documents is necessary

Delivering Thai technical translation services involves adapting technical materials for Thailand, which may include changing the number, currency, and date formats, adapting information for local regulations, adhering to industry standards in Thai-speaking areas, and ensuring the style is appropriate for a Thai audience.

For example, in terms of the number system, Thai people employ two different numeral systems: Arabic numerals and Thai numbers (ตัวเลขไทย).

Thai people use Arabic numerals in their writing in almost all cases. On the other hand, Thai numerals are only used in very formal contexts, such as legal documents for the government or the court, and on the address label of a house.

When it comes to technical translation, you should carefully select the number system in your content that Thai viewers are most comfortable with. A technical document filed to the government may require Arabic numerals, yet a device assembly guide for your Thai employees might prefer using the Thai number.

Count on GTE Localize for your Thai technical translations

Thai technical translation often takes more time and is more expensive than other types of documents. Instead of looking for available technical translators, partnering with a professional translation company that employs technical translators is the smartest move. Among the companies providing Thai technical translation services today, GTE Localize is a reliable translation companion as recommended by GoodFirms with the following outstanding values: 

• GTE Localize has native Thai translators with at least five years of expertise in technical translation;
• As an ISO 9001:2015 certified translation company, GTE Localize pledges to produce high-quality translation services; 
• We ensure accurate and consistent Thai technical translations at a competitive rate and a fast turnaround time by using CAT Tools, Localization Management Platforms, QA Tools, Self-built ERP, etc.;
• We are confident to offer a lifetime warranty for all of our Thai technical translation projects;
• Many enterprises have benefited from our assistance in getting technical documents translated into Thai with good results. 

Have you considered having your technical documents translated into Thai? Or are you on the way to seeking a translation and localization partner for the Thai market?

Please let us know here and we can provide you with further Thai technical translation services and localization tips.

You might also download our free whitepaper here for more localization tips for the Thai market and other Asian markets.