Moklen is an Austronesian language spoken on the western coast of

southern Thailand Southern Thailand (formerly Southern Siam and Tambralinga) is the southernmost cultural region of Thailand, separated from Central Thailand by the Kra Isthmus. Geography Southern Thailand is on the Malay Peninsula, with an area of around , bo ...

. It is related to but distinct from the

Moken language Moken is a Malayo-Polynesian languages, Malayo-Polynesian language 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 ...

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. *''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 in the Ko Phra Thɔɔng area. *''Central Moklen'' area (nine villages): from Paak Wiip (in Takua Pa District) to Hin Laat. The Baan Dɔɔn Can dialect is the variety mainly studied by . *''Southern Moklen'' area (three villages): northern tip of Phuket Island. 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

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Further reading