5 Tips on Choosing the Right Thai eLearning Localization Service Provider

Thai eLearning localization services make it possible for e-Learning companies to get access to a large number of learners.

With the outbreak of the Covid-19, the whole world has been familiar with bringing things offline to online to reduce direct interaction. The same theory is applied to e-Learning in Thailand. Online education is growing faster and stronger than ever before, which leads to the higher demand for Thai eLearning localization services.

So, how to select the right service provider for your upcoming projects? Here are 5 tips you can rely on to find the perfect one. 

#1 – Technical complexity and turnkey solutions

Working with a turnkey supplier can save you time, money, and the amount of communication required.

The followings are some basic factors you should be asking:

• Translation network: Does the service provider offer a network of fully trained translators and editors in the Thai language and in the original language? When you work with a supplier who can handle your languages, you may streamline procedures like glossary development and translation review.
• Voiceover expertise: Thai, like Vietnamese and Chinese, is a tonal language in which changing the tone of how a word is pronounced will change the meaning. Thai is made up of five tones (high, mid, low, falling, and rising) and contains 44 consonants and 32 vowels. Due to its complexity, it’s best to select a Thai localization service provider that offers native speakers voiceovers.
• Testing: Is the agency able to access a network of native linguists to test published and beta-stage courses? Are high-end bug tracking and reporting software used by them? No matter how good your integration team is, a fresh pair of eyes, particularly those of a native speaker, will be able to notice some areas that require improvement.
• Infrastructure: Ensure that your Thai localization service provider has the necessary infrastructure (studios, multimedia laboratories, in-house talent and resources, technology, and paid licenses) to execute all essential tasks and meet your specific requirements.

#2 – Brand and tone in Thai eLearning localization services

When designing e-Learning courses for the Thai market, you have to change somehow not to lose your authenticity, but to suit the Thais’ tastes.

For this reason, it is key to set up a team of internal in-country reviewers who understand your brand and can interact with your Thai eLearning localization service partners in the pre-project phase to select voice talents, clarify pronunciations, and approve translated scripts. 

After defining your brand voice and tone, a competent localization service provider will also need an in-depth understanding of the core value of Thailand and its culture to produce appropriate e-Learning products.

#3 – Experience in Thai eLearning localization service

Make sure the company that you choose has experience in localizing e-Learning courses for the Thai market. They’ll be far more sensitive to the nuances of the local market, which will really benefit your content. In addition, there are many other issues that need to be taken into consideration and your partner is already aware of, like the below:

• Line spacing

Given how Thai is written, line space is critical when producing Thai text for subtitles/captions. If lines are too close together, the vowel characters of a nearby line may be obscured.

The length of the subtitles is also something to consider. Thai writings, for example, are typically 15% longer than English ones. Hence, when creating subtitles for videos,  your Thai E-learning translation provider needs to select appropriate words and phrases to get them concise and follow the character restriction.

• Forbidden content

In Thailand, there are several content limitations that Thai eLearning localization service providers should be aware of in order to avoid content being banned. Any content that is unflattering to the King or the Thai monarchy is regarded as a big no-no and can result in a ban or even criminal charges. Political content is also severely restricted, and sexual or pornographic video content is prohibited.

• Customized content for different devices

For one thing, Thailand is a mobile-first market, thus the content must be adapted not just for desktop viewing, but also for mobile viewing.

For another thing, though Thailand is growing increasingly technologically savvy, high-speed and high-storage smartphone devices still have yet to become mainstream. A large number of the population is still using 3G/4G, low-storage devices. 

With this in mind, content should be optimized for use and viewing on a variety of low- to mid-tier devices which are often utilized by the general public.

#4 – Technology and savings

Localization services used to cost a lot of money before. Many companies’ budgets were eaten into by high expenses for employees and other administrative functions. Rapid eLearning technologies like Articulate Storyline and other development tools have significantly reduced eLearning development costs, and when combined with cutting-edge localization technology such as CAT tools, Translation Memory, TermBase, and Machine Translation, these enable cost control and scalability. 

However, you must ensure that the savings are passed on to you by your selected Thai eLearning localization service provider.

#5 – Trust goes a long way

Finding the appropriate Thai eLearning localization service provider is not an easy task. You’ll be working side by side with this partner for a certain time to see if their procedures fit with you and if they could bring you the profits as expected. So, take the time to find the company that you think will meet your needs. Ask them for a free sample for reference. And bear in mind to go with a company that is honest, upfront, and free with information. 

Wrapping up

Following the tips above, you will definitely find a reliable Thai eLearning localization service provider to cooperate with.

As a translation and localization agency based in Asia, GTE Localize fully understands the vital role of an intermediary between learners and trainers in e-Learning courses.

We have been a long-term companion for hundreds of e-Learning providers with worthy core values we bring to the table:

• A wide pool of Thai native speakers and editors
• An end-to-end service for designing e-Learning courses
• A technology-driven agency with CAT tools, DTP tools, QC Tool – Xbench, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Vendor Portal, and more applied.

Contact us today for a free quote or simply discuss your Thai translation project.

For more localization tips for the Thai market, you could download our free whitepaper here.