Despite the fact that (ทั้งๆ ที่)

Expressing Counter-Expectation with ทั้งๆ ที่

When a situation happens or continues despite clear obstacles, Thai uses the strong conjunction ทั้งๆ ที่ (despite the fact that).

To build a sentence, state the main situation first, add ทั้งๆ ที่, and follow it with the counter-expectation:

• [Main clause] + ทั้งๆ ที่
  • [Unexpected circumstance]

Persisting Through Hardship

This structure is frequently used to describe endurance and pushing forward. You will often see it paired with vocabulary about confronting difficulties, such as เผชิญ (to face) and ฝ่าฟัน (to struggle through).

Leading with the Obstacle

To emphasize the hardship, you can place the ทั้งๆ ที่ clause at the very beginning of the sentence. The main clause often uses a linking word like ก็ or ก็ยัง (still) to connect the two contrasting ideas:

• ทั้งๆ ที่
  • [Unexpected circumstance] + [Subject] + ก็ยัง
    • [Main clause]