To dictate in Thai on a Mac, open System Settings → Keyboard, go to Dictation (การป้อนตามคำบอก on a Thai-language Mac), click Edit next to Languages, and select Thai (Thailand). Start Dictation and pick Thai from the language shown next to the cursor. Apple lists Thai for on-device dictation, automatic punctuation and emoji. Because Thai text does not put spaces between words, check how the result is spaced before you send it.
The steps come from Apple's Dictate messages and documents on Mac for macOS 27 Golden Gate, and its Thai edition, ป้อนข้อความและเอกสารตามคำบอกบน Mac. If your screen differs, search System Settings for "Dictation" or การป้อนตามคำบอก.
How do you turn on Thai dictation?
- Choose Apple menu → System Settings, then click Keyboard (แป้นพิมพ์) in the sidebar.
- Go to Dictation (การป้อนตามคำบอก) and turn it on.
- Click Edit (แก้ไข) next to Languages (ภาษา) and select Thai (Thailand).
- Stay online while the Mac sets the language up. Apple's feature page says on-device dictation "Requires download of speech models."
- In a text field, start Dictation with the Microphone key, your Dictation shortcut, or Edit → Start Dictation, and check that the language next to the cursor is Thai.
If you also write in English, select it too. Switch by clicking the language next to the cursor, or press the Globe key (ปุ่มลูกโลก) and choose. Apple's guide describes switching by hand, not automatic detection of a language change.
Which Thai dictation features does Apple list?
From Apple's macOS feature availability page for macOS Golden Gate, checked on 2 October 2026:
| Feature | Thai (Thailand) |
|---|---|
| Dictation | Yes |
| On-device dictation | Yes |
| Auto-punctuation | Yes |
| Dictate emoji | Yes |
| More advanced Dictation (Apple Intelligence) | Not listed; Apple lists it for English regions only |
Apple lists one Thai variant, Thailand. "Not listed" means absent from that feature's list on the day we checked. For comparison, Apple lists Vietnamese and Malay without auto-punctuation, and Indonesian with none of the extra features.
Because Thai is on the on-device list, your Mac can process it locally once the speech model is downloaded. Apple's guide says the text below the Dictation switch in Keyboard settings confirms it. Is Mac Dictation private? explains that note.
How do auto-punctuation and spacing work in Thai?
Apple's guide says that in supported languages Dictation inserts "commas, periods, and question marks" as you speak, and Thai is on that list. The Thai edition calls the switch เครื่องหมายวรรคตอนอัตโนมัติ, under Keyboard → Dictation.
Apple does not explain how this fits Thai writing, which runs words together and uses a space where other languages would often use a comma or full stop. Apple does not say whether Thai auto-punctuation inserts spaces, Latin marks or nothing. Dictate a paragraph with the setting on, then with it off, and keep the version that reads naturally to you.
How do you say punctuation in Thai?
Apple's Thai command list, คำสั่งสำหรับการป้อนข้อความตามคำบอกบน Mac, is translated. Useful entries:
| Say (Thai) | Result |
|---|---|
| มหัพภาค / จุด | . |
| จุลภาค | , |
| เครื่องหมายคำถาม | ? |
| เครื่องหมายอัศเจรีย์ | ! |
| ทวิภาค | : |
| อัฒภาค | ; |
| จุดไข่ปลา | … |
| อัญประกาศ | “ ” |
| วงเล็บเปิด / วงเล็บปิด | ( ) |
| บรรทัดใหม่ | new line |
| ย่อหน้าใหม่ | new paragraph |
| ไม่เปิดวรรค / ไม่ปิดวรรค | next phrase without spaces / back to normal spacing |
| เครื่องหมายเปอร์เซ็นต์ | % |
Two details from that page. The currency section lists the dollar, cent, pound, euro and yen signs but no baht sign (฿). Type it yourself, or check how your Mac writes amounts you dictate. And the list has no entry for Thai-specific marks such as ๆ (mai yamok); Apple does not say whether Dictation writes it, so check it in your test.
Thai keyboard vs Thai dictation
Dictation language and keyboard layout are separate settings. Apple's Write in another language on Mac has you add a Thai keyboard under Keyboard → Text Input → Edit, says its language also joins "your list of Dictation languages (if available)", and says Control-Space selects the last input source you used. Apple's Input Sources settings page describes "Use the Caps Lock key to switch to and from [last used Latin input source]", which appears once you add a non-Latin input source such as Thai.
Apple's Dictation guide does not say you need a Thai keyboard active to dictate Thai. A Thai layout matters when you fix a word by hand. If Dictation underlines a word in blue, Apple says you can click it and choose an alternative.
What about other dictation apps?
Apple's Dictation is free and lists every core feature for Thai. Test it first.
SuprFlow's requirements page lists 19 languages, including Thai, and its setup asks you to choose a speech-recognition language. We have not tested accuracy per language and make no accuracy claim for Thai, including spacing. How to test SuprFlow with another language gives a short test. SuprFlow costs $125 once and has no free tier.
A 10-minute test for your Thai
- Write four made-up sentences: two ordinary, one with an English product or person name, and one with a date, an amount and a negation. For example: ประชุมกับคุณจอร์แดน เฉิน วันที่ 14 พฤษภาคม ยอดเงินคือ 2,750 บาท ไม่ใช่ 2,570 บาท
- Dictate them into Notes with Thai active and Auto-punctuation on.
- Check spaces between phrases, any Latin marks, the name, the figures and ไม่ใช่.
- Turn Auto-punctuation off, dictate again, and compare.
Questions people ask
How do I use Thai voice typing on a Mac?
Add Thai (Thailand) under System Settings → Keyboard → Dictation → Languages → Edit, start Dictation, and choose Thai from the language shown next to the cursor.
Does Mac dictation add punctuation in Thai?
Apple lists Thai for auto-punctuation but does not explain how it handles Thai spacing. Test a paragraph with the setting on and off.
How do I start a new line in Thai dictation?
Say บรรทัดใหม่ for a new line or ย่อหน้าใหม่ for a new paragraph. Apple says the break appears when you finish dictating.
Does Thai dictation work offline on a Mac?
Apple lists Thai (Thailand) for on-device dictation, after a speech model download. The text below the Dictation switch in Keyboard settings confirms how your Mac processes it.
Related guides
- How to use voice to text on a Mac
- Dictate in Japanese on a Mac
- Dictate in Mandarin or Cantonese on a Mac
- Mac dictation commands and punctuation
- How to test SuprFlow with another language
- Is Mac Dictation private?