ศาลาชุมนุม

[Cerebrum]

Most Thais I asked speak ส้อม with a short vowel sound, but isn't it supposed to be a long vowel?

[bifftastic]

Does it sound as short as ส้ม?

[Cerebrum]

Yes,

even if you use the dictionary of this site:

http://www.thai-language.com/id/131697
http://www.thai-language.com/id/200051

[bifftastic]

I can't get the audio to work on the site.
But when I hear people say those words, there is a small difference in length. Perhaps not as much as might be expected though.

[Cerebrum]

Compare with the pronunciation of นอน
http://www.thai-language.com/id/131712

The same in google translate, it has audio and นอน is pronounced with a distinctly longer vowel:
https://translate.google.com/#th/en/%E0 ... D%E0%B8%99
https://translate.google.com/#th/en/%E0 ... D%E0%B8%A1

[Toffeeman]

It's to do with the falling tone. A falling tone shortens the vowels on some words like ส้อม but I agree with Bifftastic that it is a little longer than ส้ม.

Other words that fall into the same category are: ต้อง which is like ต้ง but again I would say a little longer.
Also ท่าน which sounds like ทั่น and I must admit they sound the same to me.

[Cerebrum]

A falling tone shortens the vowels on some words like ส้อม but I agree

Is this a consequence of the way that the falling tone is articulated? In other words it would not be possible to pronounce a falling tone with a long vowel in certain words, e.g. ส้อม?