A vowel can sit around its consonant.
Unlike English vowels, Thai vowel shapes do not always follow the consonant in a straight line. The same consonant can carry a vowel before, after, above, below, or on both sides.
above
◌ิ
กิ
before
เ◌
เก
consonant
ก
sound starts here
after
◌ะ
กะ
below
◌ุ
กุ
around
เ◌ะ
เกะ
Worked payoff — written first, spoken second
In เก, the vowel shape เ◌ is written first. The sound still starts from ก.
That reading rule is stable even when the written order looks surprising: begin from the consonant, then take the vowel with it.
The same start point, five layouts.
Before the consonant
Written to the left of the consonant, but spoken after it. Reading order and speaking order disagree here.
After the consonant
Written after the consonant. Reading order and speaking order agree here.
Above the consonant
Written as a mark above the consonant, and spoken after it.
Below the consonant
Written as a mark below the consonant, and spoken after it.
On both sides of it
Written in two pieces, one to the left of the consonant and one after it. The consonant sits in the middle and is still spoken first.
Next, short and long vowel lessons keep these same positions while teaching how the sound itself changes.