What is the RTGS romanization of the Thai name ผัดไทย?

The RTGS romanization of the Thai name ผัดไทย is “phat thai.” RTGS, or the Royal Thai General System of Transcription, represents Thai pronunciation with ordinary Latin letters, so the Thai name is rendered as two words rather than translated into English.

“Pad Thai” is the spelling most familiar in English, but “phat thai” more closely follows the official-style Thai transcription. The first word refers to stir-frying, while “Thai” identifies the dish with Thailand. English usage commonly changes phat to pad because English speakers often find “pad” easier to pronounce and recognize.

The dish’s name can also appear as “phad thai” or in more technical transliteration systems with diacritics. Those are not the same as the plain RTGS form. RTGS also does not record every feature of Thai pronunciation: it omits lexical tones and vowel length, so it is a practical transcription rather than a fully detailed linguistic notation.

The name should not be confused with kuai tiao, a broader Thai term for noodle dishes, or pad see ew, another stir-fried noodle dish. “Phat thai” specifically identifies the dish commonly known internationally as Pad Thai.