install/

All examples assume XeLaTeX as the engine. XeLaTeX reads UTF-8 source natively and loads system fonts directly — no encoding gymnastics, no font installation rituals beyond what your OS already has. LuaLaTeX also works; differences are noted where they matter.

Windows installation

1 TeX Live WIN

Download the Windows installer:

• Run the installer. Select (*) Install → Next → Install
• Installation root → Change → set prefix to C:/Apps → OK (keeps your system drive tidy)
• Default paper size → Letter (or A4 if you prefer)
• Advanced → Scheme → Change → select Medium (approx. 1509 objects) → OK (full install is ~8GB; medium is sufficient for Thai work)
• Install → wait → Close → Close

2 TeXstudio WIN

Download from the official release:

Or check texstudio.org/#download for the current release.

• Run installer → install to C:\Apps\texstudio
• After install: Options → Configure TeXstudio → Build → Default compiler → set to XeLaTeX

3 Git WIN

Or current release at git-scm.com/download/win

• Install to C:\Apps\Git
• Default editor → Notepad (change later if you prefer)
• Initial branch name → Let Git decide
• PATH → Git from the command line and also from 3rd-party software
• SSH → Use bundled OpenSSH
• HTTPS transport → Use the native Windows Secure Channel Library
• Line endings → Checkout Windows-style, commit Unix-style (correct for cross-platform .tex files)
• Terminal → Use MinTTY
• Pull behavior → Fast-forward or merge
• Credential manager → Git Credential Manager
• Extra options → [x] Enable file system caching → Install → Finish

✓ Verify Windows install

Open a new command prompt or Git Bash and run:

xelatex --version
git --version

Both should print version strings. If xelatex is not found, TeX Live may not be on your PATH — see troubleshoot/path.

macOS installation

1 TeX Live MAC

MacTeX is the standard distribution for macOS — it is TeX Live packaged for the Mac. Download from:

Or direct: tug.org/mactex/ for the full MacTeX .pkg installer.

2 TeXstudio MAC

• Download the macOS .dmg → drag to Applications
• Options → Configure TeXstudio → Build → Default compiler → XeLaTeX

3 Git MAC

• If you have Xcode command line tools: git is already installed. Run git --version to check.
• Otherwise: git-scm.com/download/mac or brew install git if you use Homebrew.

Linux & FreeBSD installation

1 TeX Live LIN

Prefer the upstream installer over your distro's package manager — distro TeX Live packages are often years behind and missing Thai-specific components.

wget https://mirror.ctan.org/systems/texlive/tlnet/install-tl-unx.tar.gz
tar xf install-tl-unx.tar.gz
cd install-tl-*/
sudo perl install-tl --scheme=medium

2 TeXstudio LIN

• Most distros: sudo apt install texstudio or sudo dnf install texstudio
• Or AppImage from texstudio.org
• Set default compiler to XeLaTeX after first launch

3 Git LIN

sudo apt install git        # Debian/Ubuntu
sudo dnf install git        # Fedora/RHEL
sudo pkg install git        # FreeBSD

After install — all platforms

A Install THSarabunNew

The standard Thai font for XeLaTeX work. Must be installed system-wide so XeLaTeX can find it by name. Platform-specific steps are in fonts/.

B Optionally: TeX Gyre Pagella for English

If your document mixes Thai and English body text, TeX Gyre Pagella pairs well with THSarabunNew — similar x-height and weight, Palatino-family, included in TeX Live Medium. No download needed; just reference it by name in fontspec. Pairing notes and examples are in fonts/pairing.

C Test with a minimal document

% test.tex
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{fontspec}
\usepackage{polyglossia}
\setmainlanguage{thai}
\setmainfont{TH Sarabun New}
\begin{document}
สวัสดี XeLaTeX
\end{document}

Compile with xelatex test.tex. If you see Thai text in the PDF, your install is working.