I mostly speak body language + I know a set of Thai words, like numbers, names of fruits and foods, how much, delicious, beautiful, even names of some animals like monkey, cat, dog, buffalo, pig, etc. So if I am taking pictures of cats or birds in the street, I can say to a passerby, "birds! beautiful!"

Thai words always win the sympathy of people, lol. I regularly hear "phood Thai" (speak Thai) in the context "so good you try to speak Thai" or "keep learning Thai".

relatively good english

Not many speak basic English in Songkhla.