6 Important Things About Thai Technical Translation Services

The promising Thai market draws a large number of businesses, 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.

Not to mention the quality of the services/products that you bring to the market, translating and localizing your content to fit well with Thais’ demand and expectations are crucial steps on your way to conquering this lucrative market. 

When it comes to translating technical documents, like technical manual or user instructions, you need your Thai technical translation services to be accurate, clear, and much more. Read on to see what you have to consider when performing technical translations.

#1 – Accuracy, logicality, clarity, and readability

Translating a technical manual needs to be accurate, logical, clear, and readable. How well this has been achieved can generally be judged on:

• How accurate is the translation of the technical terms?
• How accurately are those terms related to each other?
• How accurate is it when relating clause and sentence structure?
• Has the linguist used sentence structure, layout, or format to increase clearness?

#2 – Four types of technical terms 

In the European Commission’s translations, translated technical terms are grouped into four categories:

• Known + undoubted
• Known + doubted
• Unknown + existing
• Unknown + not existing

Working backward, the process of translating technical terms tends to be:

• Guess
• Search
• Determine
• Express

It may appear unscientific to use a “guess” as a starting point for any Thai technical translation services. However, due to the linguist’s experience and skills and the nature of technical documents, terms may typically be guessed from the context in which they’re used before extra effort is required to verify them. This is especially true when a project requires only a part of a manual or individual instructions for a similar product to be translated.

#3 – Sufficient reference resources for your Thai technical translation services

As mentioned above, an experienced linguist will make technical translations in most cases based on context and their own knowledge. To make this process as quick and accurate as possible, it’s always best to provide them with as many reference materials as you can.

You might provide your Thai technical translation services carrier with the followings:

• Any relevant glossaries or term dictionaries 
• Anything that clarifies key jargon used
• Photos or materials of your or your competitors’ multilingual website 
• A linguist’s visit to your own facility so that he/she can see for themselves exactly what’s involved

Though your translator is likely to be familiar with the terms, there’s no reason to allow any room for misunderstanding.

#4 – A translated document often takes up more space

It’s important to bear in mind that when translating from English to the Thai language, the text will be on average 15% longer than the original.

As such, if you plan to have the translated text in a certain amount of character served for an intended layout, for example, you should make it clear with your Language Service Provider from the start.

#5 – Don’t just translate, localize your Thai project

Delivering Thai technical translation services does not mean translating word for word, but it requires adapting technical materials for Thailand, which can include altering the number, currency, and date formats, adapting information for local regulations, adhering to industry standards in Thai-speaking areas, and ensuring that the style is appropriate for a Thai audience.

For example, in terms of the number system, there are two distinct numeral systems used by Thai people: Arabic numerals and Thai numbers (ตัวเลขไทย).

In almost all cases, Thais utilize Arabic numbers in their writing. Thai numerals, on the other hand, are only used in very formal contexts, such as legal papers for the government or the court, and occasionally on the house address label.

When it comes to technical translation, you should carefully consider which number system to use for your content in order to provide the best reading for Thai audiences. A technical document submitted to the authority may need the Arabic numerals while a device assembling instruction for your Thai employees would prefer the Thai number.

#6 – You need translators with industry-specific experience

Thai technical translators must have a background in the field in which they are working, which may be demonstrated by having the appropriate education, certification, and work experience in a particular field. For especially timely and complex topics of technical translation, Thai technical translation services providers may need to perform independent research to fully understand the material.

For example, when it comes to translating medical documents to the Thai language, medical translators must have an understanding of not only the appropriate terminology but also the basic science behind the terms. 

Thai medical translators should have extensive qualifications, accreditation, or advanced degrees, as appropriate to the field for which they are translating. Also, they should have solid experience in the selected medical subject area(s) and be equipped with the latest English-to-Thai dictionaries. 

To sum up, you need a Language Service Provider that offers native Thai linguists with expertise and experience in localization and in the field they are working to deliver high-quality Thai technical translation services.

Due to the complexity involved, partnering with a Thai technical localization services company will help ensure a successful project. Among the companies providing Thai technical translation services today, GTE Localize is a trustworthy companion for you with competitive advantages below: 

• GTE Localize has native Thai translators with at least five years of experience. With extensive experience in specific fields, GTE linguists provide you with comprehensive translation and localization services.
• We ensure accurate and consistent translations at a competitive rate and a short turnaround time by using localization and translation management platforms, quality control tools, and CAT tools.
• Thousands of enterprises have benefited from our assistance in obtaining technical documentation translated into Thai and receiving excellent results. 

Have you considered translating your technical documents in Thailand? Or are you on the way to finding a translation and localization companion for the Thai market?

Let us know here and we could provide you with further Thai technical translation services and localization tips.

For more localization tips for other Asian markets, you might download our free whitepaper here.