How to Use Thai Font for WWW

Thai fonts on a PC    Thai fonts on a Mac

 

Installing Thai Font in your PC?
* True Type or not true type?

Last update: May 6, 1998

There are four things that most people wanna do when they read this page. They are listed according to the percieved level of difficulties. If you are using a non-Thai edition of Windows, then Installing Thai font is a must for any of these tasks.

Installing Thai Font

There are several ways to install Thai Font on a Windows 3.11 or Windows 95/NT US edition For Thai edition, you shouldn't need to install Thai Font). To determine if you have Thai fonts or not, look under Control Panel -> Fonts. If there exists a font name DBX Thaitext or similar, then you already have Thai fonts installed.

Method A (for Windows beginners)

A program written by Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton will automatically install the fonts for you. This set of fonts is new (as of May 1998) and deemed to be better than the old family of DB Thaitext fonts.

Here's how to get his program. Go to Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton's How to page and click on the icon which says "click here to download". Otherwise if Sanook.com is down try holding down the shift key and clicking here. Remember where the file is saved, e.g. c:\temp.

Once the file is downloaded to your hard drive, run c:\temp\thfont.exe by go to Windows explorer and double clicking on the file name or run it from Start -> Run... -> Browse (pick the file).

To check if the fonts are successfully installed, go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel -> Fonts to see if the fonts "Fixed DB ThaiText New" and "Thai Fix Font" are listed. If not, then run the program thfont.exe again. Otherwise write to Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton for further instructions.

Method B (for beginners with cash)

The program developed by Thai Master will in effect turn your non-Thai edition Windows into a Thai edition with added special features. Try their 30-day evaluation software at http://www.thaimaster.com There is also a discount for students.

Method C (for more advanced Windows 95 users)

You can install the fonts yourselves by downloading the fonts, unzipping the files, and installing them via control panel. The details are as follows:

First download Thai fonts from one of the following sites:

Once you have the font. Install it using the control panel. (In Windows 95, this is done by selecting My computer --> Control Panel -> Fonts --> Choosing Install new fonts from the File menu bar --> Selecting the fonts to be installed). After this you can read Thai using any window software, including Netscape, Eudora, etc.

Reading Thai email

Assuming that you using Eudora, for Thai edition Windows operating systems see Internet Thailand's Support page

For non-Thai edition of Windows with Thai fonts already installed as described above, the instructions (adapted from Inet's support page are as follow:

Step 1 : Click on Tools menu (or Specials)

Step 2 : Choose Options (or Setting)

Step 3 : When the Options dialog appears, click Fonts&Display

Step 4 : Change the font selection to whatever Thai fonts you have.

Writing Thai email

If you have a Thai edition of Windows or a non-Thai edition with Thai Master installed, you won't have any trouble writing Thai. However, if you don't, you'll need a keyboard switcher to toggle between Thai and English.

This is available without charge in Cuword, a free Thai Word Processer developed by Chulalongkorn University team. It can be downloaded at http://www.nectec.or.th/pub/pc/cu-writer/cww.zip
(To install CUWord, first unzip the cww.zip file and run setup. Follow the instructions, and you will see the keyboard switcher icon appear along with other Cu-Writer icons.)

Configuring Browsers

We consider Windows non-Thai edition with Thai Master installed, as Windows Thai Edition.
  • Windows 95 Thai edition/Internet Explorer 4.0 (From http://www.inet.co.th/support/iethai4.htm)
    1. Click View menu, click Internet Options
    2. Click the General tab, then click Fonts
    3. Select Character sets to Thai
    4. The Proportional font to a Thai Font
    5. Click OK button
    6. Click View menu, then Drag mouse to "Thai [Windows]"
    An alternative method is to:
    1. Click right mouse at the document that have Thai font
    2. Drag mouse to Language, then click "Thai [Windows]"
    3. The Thai ducument will display after you set.
    Another set of instructions from SCB homepage
    1. Select "View" menu and choose "Internet Options".
    2. In Windows "Internet Options" select "General" tab and click "Fonts...".
    3. In Window "Fonts" Character sets select "Thai", Proportional font: select Thai font such as CordiaUPC (for your convenience simply choose any font that ended with "UPC").
    4. Important step don't miss this step otherwise you will not be able to read thai font. Select "View" menu choose "Fonts" and select "Thai (Windows)". Or Click Right mouse button (don't click over the image) and choose "Language" and choose "Thai (Windows)".
  • Windows 95 Thai edition/Internet Explorer 3.x
    1. Select the View menu, then Options
    2. Select the General tab, then click Font Settings
    3. For the Default under Language, select Thai
    4. For the Character sets highlight "Thai"
    5. Set Proportional font to a Thai font.
    6. Click OK
  • Windows 95 Thai edition/Netscape Communicator 4.0 Method 1: From SCB's how to use Thai Font homepage
    1. Select menu "Edit" and choose "Preferences..."
    2. In Window Preferences Select "Fonts" and choose Thai font (example BrowalliaUPC or name that ended with UPC) in drop-down menu. Ignore "For the Encoding" drop-down menu it must be "Western".
    From Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton's homepage
                     
    1. Download nc4-95th.exe [Latest version: 23 April 2541 Release 230]
    2. Instructions are in Thai at Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton's homepage. Here is an excerpt (translated): The program is for use with Netscape Communicator 4.x Windows 95 Thai Edition. It will improve the quality of both font output and keyboard input to Netscape Mail.
    3. Close all browser windows
    4. Run the program
    5. Read the readme.txt and follow instructions on user settings as well as how to print Thai documents.
  • Windows 95 Thai edition/Netscape Navigator 3.0 Method 1: From SCB How to use Thai font Homepage
    1. From menu bar of Netscape browser choose "Option" then select "General Preferences".
    2. In window Preferences select "Fonts" tab and in drop-down menu name "For the Encoding" select "User Define" and click "Choose Font".
    3. In window "Choose Base Font" select Thai TrueType Font such as Browallia New,Angsana New,..etc. And Select "Thai" in drop-down menu "Script" the Click "OK".
    4. From menu "Option", "Document Encoding", select "User Defined".
    5. From menu "Option", "Document Encoding", select "Set Default".
    Method 2: Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton's program (for Netscape 3.x, IE 4.x and IE 3.x) will both install Thai fonts and edit the browser's registery files.
    1. Download Inet95th.exe
    2. Close all browser windows
    3. Run the program
  • Windows 95 non-Thai edition/Internet Explorer 4.0 Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton's program (for Netscape 3.x, IE 4.x and IE 3.x) will both install Thai fonts and edit the browser's registery files. If you already have the fonts install, a message sharing violation will appear (don't panic).
    1. Download Inet95th.exe
    2. Close all browser windows
    3. Run the program
  • Windows 95 non-Thai edition/Internet Explorer 3.0 Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton's program (for Netscape 3.x, IE 4.x and IE 3.x) will both install Thai fonts and edit the browser's registery files. If you already have the fonts install, a message sharing violation will appear (don't panic).
    1. Download Inet95th.exe
    2. Close all browser windows
    3. Run the program
  • Windows 95 non-Thai edition/Netscape Communicator 4.0 Khun Sanya wrote in Siamweb's Thaitalk that to configure Netscape Communicator 4.0 for non-Thai edition one must do the following.
  • Choose Menu -> Edit ->Preference
  • Select Font
  • For the Encoding select Western
  • Select Thai Font (you must have this installed already)
  • Click OK
  • Windows 95 non-Thai edition/Netscape Navigator 3.0 (Adapted from Khun Vuthichai's How-to Homepage)
    1. Open Netscape Navigator window.
    2. Go to Option menu
    3. Go to sub-menu Preferences
    4. Select Font tab in Preferences window.
    5. Optional : Change the For Encoding to User Define This process is optional. But it allows you to switch between Thai and original English fonts easily. As the English part of DB Thai Text font doesn't look as good as TimesNewRoman, you'll find it's inevitable to switch back to the original font when browsing English-only pages. (Recommended by Dr. Thaweesak Koanantakool)
    6. Click on the Choose Font button, change proprotional font to a Thai Font.
  • Windows 3.11 Thai edition/Internet Explorer 4.0
  • Windows 3.11 Thai edition/Internet Explorer 3.0
  • Windows 3.11 Thai edition/Netscape Communicator 4.0
  • Windows 3.11 Thai edition/Netscape Navigator 3.0
  • Windows 3.11 non-Thai edition/Internet Explorer 4.0
  • Windows 3.11 non-Thai edition/Internet Explorer 3.0
  • Windows 3.11 non-Thai edition/Netscape Communicator 4.0
  • Windows 3.11 non-Thai edition/Netscape Navigator 3.0
                     
    1. Download nc-win3x.exe
    2. Instructions are in Thai at Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton's homepage. Here is an excerpt (translated): The program is for use with Netscape Navigator 3.x Windows 3.x English Edition.
    3. Close all browser windows
    4. Run the program
    5. Read the readme.txt and follow instructions on user settings as well as how to print Thai documents.

These instructions were collected from the following sites. We would also like to thank them for the permission to use their copyrighted material.

  • Khun Supachai Prasertvechaton's homepage
  • Internet Thailand's How to use Thai language page
  • Khun Worawit's solution to configuring different browers for Thai-font.
  • http://www.gil.com.au/~bchana/tmg.html
  • http://thaigate.rd.nacsis.ac.jp/refer/ Here is a useful excerpt from this site:

    To minimize problems reading Thai Mails sent by Netscape 4.0 Messenger, I would like to recommend the following settings for Netscape 4.0 users. (The settings will minimize the problems reading most Thai websites by Netscape Navigator as well).

    1. Open Netscape "Messenger Mailbox" (The program you use to read/send mails).
    2. Goto "Edit/Preference" menu
    3. Click on "Appearance/Font" category
    4. In "For the Encoding" selection box, choose "User Defined"
    5. In "Variable Width Font" and "Fixed Width Font" choose your favorite Thai fonts. Set the size large enough to be readable ( > 12 )
    6. Under "Sometimes a document will provide ...", choose "Use my default font, overriding document-specified font"
    7. In "Categories" on your left, click on "Mail & Groups/Messages" category.
    8. In "Messages Property", choose "By default, send HTML messages"

      (Important NOTE: Though HTML messages must be avoided, we need to choose this option to make sure that font settings are effective in Mail Editing window and characters are large enough to be readable. Otherwise, the characters will be too SMALL and we need to use the scaled-up version of Thai fonts such as FixedDBThaiTextNew)

    9. On your right, click on "More Options" button.
    10. Under "send message that uses 8-bit character", choose "Using the quoted-printable MIME encoding".
    11. Under "When sending HTML message...." , choose "Always convert the message into plain text". This is to make sure HTML message will never be sent out.
    12. Click "OK" button to close "More Preferences".
    13. Click "OK" button again to close "Preferences">
    14. In "View/Encoding" menu, choose "User-Defined"
    15. Again, in "View/Encoding" menu, choose "Set Default Encoding" to make "User-Defined" your default.

      We thank the author Khun Vuthichai for the information

BTW, if you don't know how to unzip the *.zip files. Download a free evaluation copy of winzip at http://www.winzip.com/.

Luv y'all!,

By: Yuu (Yujira Jirapinyo)

Installing Thai Font in to Macintosh

* Guidelines
1) download MacOS Thai System Software ThaiEnable_1.0.hqx ITSC does not hold any responsibility for the use of this software. Please use this program at your own risk.
2) If you have Stuffit Expander installed, the file should expand into "MacOS ThaiEnable 1.0", if you don't have stuffit expander, you can download it here .
3) For a clean installation, restart machine holding "shift" key to turn off all extension.
4) Double click on MacOS ThaiEnable 1.0 installer and read instruction. The installer should install these files below into your system folder.
5) Restart your Macintosh. During start up you will see "ThaiTalk" icon loaded. When you are at you desktop screen you should see icon on the top right hand, on the menubar, a little flag. You can switch writing in Thai and other language by choosing the desired language. A quick key to switch between english and thai is to hold down "Apple" key and space bar. See image below.
6) Try it out on "simple text" or other word processor.
Graphics and Mac info was originally done for Internet Thailand.
PuTT

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