Moklen is an Austronesian language spoken on the western coast of

southern Thailand Southern Thailand, Southern Siam or Tambralinga is a southernmost cultural region of Thailand, separated from Central Thailand region by the Kra Isthmus. Geography Southern Thailand is on the Malay Peninsula, with an area of around , bounded ...

. It is related to but distinct from the

Moken language Moken is spoken by inhabitants in southern Myanmar and Southern Thailand, who refer to themselves as Moken (people) and Mawken. Classification The language is closely related to the Moklen language, and can be mistaken to be similar to Urak Lawo ...

of Myanmar and southern Thailand. Unlike Moken, it is not spoken in Myanmar.

Dialects

lists three main Moklen areas in Thailand. Moklen is spoken mostly, but not exclusively, in Phang Nga Province. It is also spoken in Ranong Province and

Phuket Island Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands of ...

. *''Northern Moklen'' area (eight villages): located about from the main concentration of Jadiak Moken speakers in Ranong Province, Thailand, ranging from the villages of Ko Phra Thɔɔng (; in Khura Buri District) in the north to Baang Sak in the south. There is a high degree of interaction with

Moken The Moken (also ''Mawken or'' ''Morgan''; ; th, ชาวเล, lit=sea people, translit=chao le) are an Austronesian people of the Mergui Archipelago, a group of approximately 800 islands claimed by both Myanmar and Thailand. Most of the 2,0 ...

in the Ko Phra Thɔɔng area. *''Central Moklen'' area (nine villages): from Paak Wiip (in

Takua Pa District Takua Pa ( th, ตะกั่วป่า, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in Phang Nga province in south Thailand. Geography The district is on the Andaman Sea coast. To the north of the district is Si Phang Nga National Park. The southern part ...

) to Hin Laat. The Baan Dɔɔn Can dialect is the variety mainly studied by . *''Southern Moklen'' area (three villages): northern tip of

. describes the Moklen dialect of Lam Phi (), Thai Mueang District, Phang Nga Province in southern Thailand. Other Moklen villages near Lam Phi listed by are, listed from north to south, Bang Sak, Khuk Khak, Bang Niang, Thung Maphraw, and Tha Chat Chai. survey various Moklen dialects.

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Dialects

References

Works cited

Further reading