How to Translate a Thai Menu from a Photo

Start with a readable part of the menu

Photograph one section with the dish names and their prices visible together. Hold the camera square to the page, avoid reflections, and move closer if the text is small. A sharp picture of six items is easier to check than a whole wall of distant lettering.

Keep the original image available. Decorative type, handwritten additions, crowded columns, and blurred numbers can lead to recognition errors before translation even begins. If the result looks unrelated to the picture, retake or crop the image rather than trying to interpret an obviously broken sentence.

Translate the photo in GoThai

1. Open Translate → Translate a photo in the Thai photo translator.
2. Set Thai as the source language and English as the target language.
3. Take a photo or choose an image, then check that the menu text is readable.
4. Submit the image and inspect the translation over the picture.
5. Use Read text to compare the extracted text, and switch between the original and translated views when needed.

Online photo translation uses the existing daily translation allowance. If you plan to translate without a connection or want local processing for the photo, install the optional Pro pack and test it first using the offline translation guide. Enable Offline in the photo tool itself before submitting; the text translator has a separate mode switch.

Check names, numbers, and choices separately

A menu can list a base dish with several meats, portion sizes, or additions underneath it. Check that the price you are reading belongs to the item you intend to order. Compare numbers with the original picture, especially where the layout is dense or the print is faint.

Dish names do not always translate into a clear ingredient list. Treat an unfamiliar result as a starting point for a question, not a complete description of the dish. Show the item on the original menu when confirming your order with staff.

For allergies or other safety-critical dietary needs, do not treat OCR or machine translation as confirmation that a dish is suitable. Use clear, verified wording and ask staff directly about the ingredients and preparation.

Turn the result into a short conversation

Once you identify an item, point to it and make one request at a time. You can type a short question in the text translator rather than photographing the same page repeatedly. The food ordering guide helps you organize the next part of the conversation.

To keep the translated picture, use the image export option. Exported images live where you save them on your device. Online images are processed using Microsoft Azure; Offline mode uses the downloaded browser pack. The offline privacy guide explains how local recognition and translation keep the photo and recognized wording on the device for processing, alongside the separate behavior of account services, speech, and saved text.