Originally Posted by seanthepilot

Within the Thai language, there is only one way to pronounce a word or set of letters. Unlike english where a word can have multiple pronunciations (poe-taye-toes and poe-tah-toes).

As well, each of their vowels have 2 distinct pronunciation lengths. Best described by a 1/2 length and a double long sound. (A and O, being 2 of the vowels) ((When being misunderstood that I went to Hat Yai, I learned to use the double length vowel 'Ah' to make it Haaat Yai and it was instantly understandable.)) They also have what I call assumed vowels. You have to know a sound (that we associate with vowels) will link the 2 consonants together. These have a normal length vowel sound. That gives us 3 lenghts. 1/2, normal, and double length sounds for vowels.

Thai - ไทย - sounds like 'Tai' (no H or th sound)

Koh, in Koh Samui - เกาะ สมุย - sounds like an interupted 'KO'.
This is an instance where the 1/2 lenght vowel O is used. For the english speaker to sound it out properly, it is cut off so abruptly that the word/sylable sounds unfinnished.
The symbol used here is actually a spoken 'G' and should really be written 'Goh' (but the english would then say Go, as in Stop and Go, which is incorrect).

Pattaya - พัทยา -'Put (or pat) taie Yaah' (2 normal lenth vowels, followed by the double length final vowel)

It's nearly impossible to explain Thai sounds with English characters. I'm sure other Thai speakers will chime in. This is my interpretation for the moment.

Originally Posted by Rampo

To my ear, the Thai pronunciation of Pattaya comes closest to PAH-tah-yaah, with the 1st syllable regular length and emphasized, the second so short it almosts sounds like an aspirated "t" (hence the occasional spelling as Patthaya), and the third syllable elongated.

Originally Posted by jpatokal

They don't. Thais aspirate the sound, pronouncing it with a puff of air that you hear as an "H". It's entirely different from the rather unusual dental fricatives spelled "th" in English.