Please see the illustration above to learn how to write the Thai letter Ro Ruea (ร). A very common Thai consonant. In certain typefaces it may resemble an “S,” but its usual handwritten and printed form looks like the number “5” with a small loop at the bottom. In pronunciation, it is normally an R, though in everyday speech it is often pronounced as a softer R, sometimes approaching an L. Some speakers also use a rolling R, especially for emphasis or stylistic effect.

Writing tips:
Begin with the small counter-clockwise loop at the bottom. Sometimes it is started from the bottom left and drawn toward the right, but regardless of the starting point, once the loop is complete, continue upward from the bottom-right to about the midpoint of the letter. From there, move leftward, then draw a line up to the top and curve it around to the right. Finish with a small curl at the end for a more polished, stylish look.

Letter type:

Consonant

Consonant tone class:

Each Thai consonant belongs to a tone class - low, mid, or high - which helps determine the tone of syllables it starts.

Low

Spoken pronunciation:

ro ruea 

Named after:

Each Thai consonant's name is acrophonic - it comes from a word starting with the same sound, in this case “เรือ” meaning “boat”.

เรือ (boat) 

Related characters:

• Tho Thong (ธ)
• Lo Ling (ล)