krisb

Picture this..... About 300 years ago (thereabouts) a boat full of pastey white Poms looking like sunburned poms you see on the beaches in Thailand today, step off the boat and the Thais look at them and laugh and call them guavas. 55555555

I don't think that Kak or Kaek refers to Muslims, but rather foreigners from SE Asia. Also means guest/visitor

แขก

http://www.thai-language.com/id/133597

Both above critiques on my definition of the word KAK NOT being about muslims is incorrect. Its a racist generalisation thai's make about anyone who looks like a middle easterner or souther european and its just a racist assumption about there RELIGION based on there appearance! KAK ' when directed at islamic people (Or those with dark skin, hair and long noses) in thai means= แขก ในภาษาโบราณของไทย which is very racist according to ANY of the over 1 million Thai's of the islamic faith in Thailand. SO the ignorant comments above show an obvious lack of education in the Thai language and culture of many people posting here. The word farang is the least offensive when compared to how other ethnic groups are labeled, so most of u need to stop crying and go learn to speak some thai with REAL Thai people, not on Soi Cowboy...

Muslims find everything thats not muslim racist and offensive. Kaek means a visitor or friend. If a mate of yours drops round your place for a beer or whatever then he/she is a kaek. It means friend/visitor

Everyone has a different opnion on this, I just asked my Thai gf what her thoughts were on this.

It's a Yahoo conversation ... no edits ... just how it went.

Me: HEY ... why do you (Thai people) call us Farang?

Me: is it a rude or bad name?

Me: Honest answer pls!

Miss M: I don't know too ...I know this word since I was born....

Miss M: If let me guess....I think

Miss M: seriouse not joke na ka

Me: Chai ... not joke serious question jing jing

Miss M: Farang is not bad name.

Miss M: Thai has fruit...this fruit is guava (English name)

Miss M: Guava name in Thai is Farang.

Miss M: inside guava will white color and some guava pink color....then

Miss M: when foreigner come to Thailand ...they look like guava ...so we call them is "Farang"

Miss M: This is why we call foreigner "Farang"

Miss M: understand mai ka?

Me: understand

Miss M: I just guess na ka

Me: is it a rude or bad name?

Miss M: no

Miss M: it good name

Me: sure?

Miss M: 100%

Me: why is it good name?

Miss M: we have more name for foreigner but it long word..."Chaaw Taang Chaat"

Miss M: it same meaning but difficult for older to say this....

Me: I understand

Me: If you wanted to a white person in Thailand a 'bad name' ... what name you use?

Miss M: don't know

Me: cheap charlie ?

Miss M: maybe have but I don't know

Miss M: Khee Neaww

Me: 555

Me: OK, thanks for your answer

Me: If you think of a name please tell me ... OK?

Miss M: think of a name?...for my name????

Me: no ... bad name for Farang

Pause of maybe 5 minutes ... maybe she ask many people in the office?

Miss M: maybe they will call farang man is " I rang" Strong and short sound "I"

Miss M: I' rang

Miss M: this is bad and not polite

Me: Thanks again

Miss M: example " black man...Nigeria man" we will call them " I dum"...Dum it mean Black color.

Miss M: this is bad name and rude.

Me: OIC

A lot of this stuff we get in heads is just plain wrong ... sometimes politicial correctness gone made.

Thais think nothing of this word and use sometimes in an endearing fashion.

As we have been told many time by or Thai partners ... Farang worry too much and think too much!

Conversation update 20 mins later ...

Miss M: no more gossip me?

Me: sorry ... I writing on Thai Visa about what you tell me

Me: Falang worry soooooooooooo much about make sure everything correct

Me: no Racism

Me: they think 'Farang' / Falang' is bad word

Me: I make our conversation easy for them to read and try and understand

Me: I will send you this link later little bit.

Miss M: You can tell them we have another name for foreigner is "Chaaw Taang Chaat" but most time we will call "Farang" because easy more than.

Me: I write this already ... thanks

..

Miss M: we never racism with Farang because almost Thai girl want to have white skin like farang..

... so please ... it's not Racism ... it's just a name!

David48

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YES!!! Its a joke. Its not like us calling them banana cause they have yellow skin. Its not racist its a joke.

Please learn how to speak Thai before looking down on the Thai language..

Technically, "Farang" is a 'loanword' and not part of Thai language.

Yes it is a Thai word. Falang is the Thai word for guava. In Issan it is "muk si dah" and the word for "Mr" is "buk" so they call us "buk si dah" or "Mr Guava" the cheeky buggers.

You live in their country and you call them cheeky buggers?

Yep!! Thais are cheeky. Its their nature. I dont live in Thailand. I live in Australia and plenty Thais etc live here. Why you assume I live there???? Dont jump to conclusions without facts first.

ummm, i'm a loss here to understand what that word farang / falang means

ive been to thailand more then two time and noone every say this word to me

is it good word ?

It means "guava". It is describing our skin color as pink. Its an old old old joke. Next time your in a Thai market go to the fruit section, pick up a guava and say with a smile on your face " tao rai falang" 555555555555

Please learn how to speak Thai before looking down on the Thai language..

Technically, "Farang" is a 'loanword' and not part of Thai language.

Yes it is a Thai word. Falang is the Thai word for guava. In Issan it is "muk si dah" and the word for "Mr" is "buk" so they call us "buk si dah" or "Mr Guava" the cheeky buggers. Some falang think it means foreign cause it sounds like it but the Thais are calling us Guava cause our skins pink.

Being called farang is a compliment.

Farang means guava. Same Buk si dah means Mr guava in Issan. Its a joke at you not compliment. some think it sounds like foreign but it means guava.

farang mean for me f... white trash!

and you do u like to be called a farang or falang?

Kiee Nok would be a closer translation to White Trash (Thinking about it, the contextual meaning is almost exactly the same)

but yeah, I don't mind if people who don't know me call me farang. It's fair enough, they don't know me and my ethnicity is a pretty distinguishing visual feature which will specifically get my attention (As opposed to just saying "Khun Khun!!" which might have half the neighbourhood thinking someone is talking to them). Even if they say said "Kon Yai" or "Kon Uuan" it wouldn't be as specific to me since there's more big guys in Thailand, than what there are farang, and calling me big/fat would be (to me at least) more offensive than farang (Although after living here for a big, I've got a reasonably thick skin to it lol).

With anyone who knows me, they usually call me Ajarn, or by my name

Kee nok means someone who is a tight ass or sits alone not white trash.

looks like a weevil but with those colors usually signifies poison.