MonkeyMagic3

My main reason for asking starting this poll/thread was to see if there are occasions, like the example I gave, when members feel that being addressed as Farang is not appropriate. I find it very hard to believe that the 145 people that have voted NO so far would not mind being called Khun Farang in the following situations...

You didn't ask if we were bothered by being called 'khun farang'

Don't change the rules after the vote is in!

The khun is neither here nor there, if people read my first post and not just the title of the thread they would see I was asking whether there are certain situations when being addressed as 'Farang' is not appropriate.

Khun turns an object into a person ...... of course it matters.

Farang is not appropriate in any situation.

Khun Farang might be appropriate in a situation where your name or nationality is not known.

But as I said, you didn't ask us if Khun Farang was OK, so are corrupting your own thread.

Did you not read my posts where I stated that they DID know my name? They knew my name and still addressed me as Khun Farang!

My main reason for asking starting this poll/thread was to see if there are occasions, like the example I gave, when members feel that being addressed as Farang is not appropriate. I find it very hard to believe that the 145 people that have voted NO so far would not mind being called Khun Farang in the following situations...

You didn't ask if we were bothered by being called 'khun farang'

Don't change the rules after the vote is in!

The khun is neither here nor there, if people read my first post and not just the title of the thread they would see I was asking whether there are certain situations when being addressed as 'Farang' is not appropriate.

From reading through the posts again it seems quite a few people voted NO from reading the topic title and nothing else. And it also seems like quite a few members believe I am saying Farang should never be used and is derogatory, that isn't what I said!

My main reason for asking starting this poll/thread was to see if there are occasions, like the example I gave, when members feel that being addressed as Farang is not appropriate. I find it very hard to believe that the 145 people that have voted NO so far would not mind being called Khun Farang in the following situations...

a) You are in a hospital waiting area and the nurses are calling people when it is their turn. The nurse has a document with each persons name on and when calling a Thai person they use the correct name ie Khun Nittipon but when calling you (your name is easy to pronounce) they call Khun Farang.

b)You are waiting in a government office (in my case the transport office) and once again the staff have everyone's name that is waiting and, once again, they are using everyone's name when calling them. But when they call you they say Khun Farang.

These are just two recent examples when I feel the name Farang wasn't appropriate, there have been others in similar situations, you really wouldn't mind in the slightest if that happened to you?

WOW! I've been in Macau this weekend so not checked in, I never realised I'd open such a can of worms!

Firstly let me say sorry to those who are offended that I started yet another 'farang' thread. I'm a fairly new member and didn't think to search through years of threads to see if it had been done before. But at the same time, like others have said, if you don't like it then don't read/comment, you know what the thread is about from the title.

Now I'll address those who keep saying I'm claiming it is derogatory. Where did I say that? It seems many members don't read posts properly or read something into it that isn't there. I said that on occasion it annoys me and then gave two recent examples of when I was called Khun Farang, one time in a government office and one time at the hospital, even when they knew my name was Mark. There have been other times when this has happened in a professional environment, all the Thais were being addressed properly by their names and then I was called Khun Farang. I know Farang is how caucasians are referred to here and it isn't something that bothers me apart from in situations like I mentioned, Khun Farang is not my name! I didn't say my wife/friends/family called me farang although, judging by some of the replies, that does happen.

Globerunner4...I didn't say 'we' referred to Africans as n*****s, please show me where I did.

fasteddie...I'm not touchy, the example I gave where it would be courteous to ask someones name was at a local shop that I frequent regularly. I know all the names of the family that work there and address them as such, they still address me as farang after almost daily visits for many months.

Although I'm a new member on here I'm not new to Thailand, I've lived here permanently for a number of years and visited regularly prior to this. Farang is the name Thais call caucasians and I'm not saying that is wrong, I voted 'sometimes' not 'yes' in the poll. What I do find very rude and inconsiderate is to be called farang in certain situations.

So people who know you still call you farang? That's rather odd. Does your wife call you farang?

And your OP is really misleading and inaccurate. People in the US, for example, are referred to by skin color/ethnicity all the time, e.g., African-Americans, blacks, whites, Caucasians, Hispanics, etc. But you're bringing up derogatory racial slurs which "farang" definitely is not. Many have tried to play that game and it only demonstrates their ignorance.

If your only concern is that people who know you still call you farang, that's one thing (and again, highly unusual). But the term farang is not offensive.

Where did I say that people who know me call me farang? I didn't. I said that I have been called farang by people even though they know my name such as in the transport office recently and also at the hospital, both of the people in question had my name on documents yet still called me Khun farang. But according to you that isn't rude, it is just Thai!

And people I come into contact with regularly, like at the local shop, could ask me my name (like I did theirs) but they would rather just call me farang.

Your first paragraph is a tad confusing, but nevermind. The fact that they're saying "Khun" farang is a touch polite, don't you think? It's akin to "Mr." or even "Sir" in a customer service context. Why get hot and bothered over it?

To be fair, I can see rare instances where it could be offensive and it's mostly about context. If someone were to be talking down to you for no explicable reason. For example, if your car was being repaired and the mechanic wanted to call you over and says, "Hey farang! Come here!" Has that happened to you? It's never happened to me. But I'd consider that a little rude.

I know Khun is the same as Mr, my point was that at the two places mentioned they had my name on documents in front of them and when they were calling the Thai people they used their name but when they called me they said Khun Farang and not Khun Mark. That is slightly rude don't you think?

No, it doesn't bother me. But what bother me is people who continually have to ask this question.

So being called a name based solely on the colour of your skin doesn't bother you but someone who is sometimes bothered by it bothers you?!

So people who know you still call you farang? That's rather odd. Does your wife call you farang?

And your OP is really misleading and inaccurate. People in the US, for example, are referred to by skin color/ethnicity all the time, e.g., African-Americans, blacks, whites, Caucasians, Hispanics, etc. But you're bringing up derogatory racial slurs which "farang" definitely is not. Many have tried to play that game and it only demonstrates their ignorance.

If your only concern is that people who know you still call you farang, that's one thing (and again, highly unusual). But the term farang is not offensive.

Where did I say that people who know me call me farang? I didn't. I said that I have been called farang by people even though they know my name such as in the transport office recently and also at the hospital, both of the people in question had my name on documents yet still called me Khun farang. But according to you that isn't rude, it is just Thai!

And people I come into contact with regularly, like at the local shop, could ask me my name (like I did theirs) but they would rather just call me farang.

No, it doesn't bother me. But what bother me is people who continually have to ask this question.

So being called a name based solely on the colour of your skin doesn't bother you but someone who is sometimes bothered by it bothers you?!

No

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

Even if someone knows your name but they call you Mr farang or just farang?

I'm well aware of the different stories etc as to why all caucasians are called farang here and that it usually isn't used in a derogatory way but it does annoy me on occasion, how about you? To have a specific name for people based on skin colour is frowned upon in most countries yet here it is accepted. It wasn't so long ago that all people of African origin were labelled as n*****s and there are specific words to describe Asians and South Americans too but they are seldom used these days.

I was recently called Khun Farang in a government office even though they knew my name, similar story on a recent hospital visit. I hear it at schools, shopping centers, restaurants and even on the daft TV shows my wife likes to watch. It really doesn't bother me that much but on occasion I'd rather be called by my name if they know it or be asked my name so they can call me by my name instead of just 'farang'!

I haven't noticed but it reminds me of a holiday here with my ex-gf from the UK. We were sat at a restaurant one evening when she suddenly said 'Yes, seen one'. When I asked her what she was talking about she said she saw a Thai female with cellulite which, after almost 3 weeks, was her first and something which had annoyed her somewhat.

I find getting info and experiences from customers is also beneficial compared to info from just the provider.

I would imagine most if not all British expats with Thai based children would have been interested in this service should they not be able to enrol them in an International school.

You'd be surprised! I've worked in a number of schools here, both government & private, and of the many expats whose children I taught there was only one who was doing what you plan to do. Most expats here, despite many knowing the Thai education system is poor, are happy for their kids to have a Thai education.

pay the loan off before 3 years ,pay 3%.done this a couple times.doesn't matter pay the loan early 3%

I believe that the 3% fee was payable regardless of how it was paid but, as I said, I seem to remember last year the BOT saying that the fee shouldn't be applied if the house is sold or paid cash by the owner, only if re-financing. I have emailed the BOT so will update if/when I get a reply.

From the link you provided I see they have quite a few offices and all have contact details, you would probably get a more definitive answer from them rather than a forum http://www.britishcouncil.org/thailand-about-us.htm

It should be in the contract.

It is stated in the contract, it says it is subject to a 3% early repayment fee but I'm sure I read a recent ruling by the BOT that states the fee is only applicable if the loan is paid off by re-financing with another bank. So therefore if someone pays off the loan with their own money or from selling the house it shouldn't be applicable.

Still proclaiming his innocence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jxu4QXRdJE

4 + 2 x 6 Is that supposed to be (4 + 2) x 6 or 4 + (2 x 6)? You have to indicate it.

Nope. There's only one answer to 4 + 2 x 6 which is 16. Google for Order of Operations in Mathematics.

But the answer is 12 not 16.

Not according to the rules in the link I posted above, 4 + (2 x 6) = 16

The screen or the phone? The price of the S2 has gone down recently, saw on for 16,500baht last week.

4 + 2 x 6 Is that supposed to be (4 + 2) x 6 or 4 + (2 x 6)? You have to indicate it.

Nope. There's only one answer to 4 + 2 x 6 which is 16. Google for Order of Operations in Mathematics.

Thanks, I'd forgotten most of this!

http://www.mathgoodies.com/Lessons/vol7/order_operations.html

Probably wise to visit a post office with the package and get a quote.

My wife's brother has a small home loan over 10yrs with SCB and wants to pay it off early. He thinks he was told there is a 3% early repayment fee if it is paid in full in the first 3 years so wants to wait another year as the loan was only taken out last year but I'm sure the fee is only applicable if the loan is paid off by way of re-financing and not if selling the house and using the cash to pay off the loan, is that correct?

I'm sure I read on here that the BOT confirmed that early repayment fees are only valid if re-financing but have used the search function and not found anything, anyone have experience of this?

Thanks

Android are supposed to be starting their Jelly Bean updates today, anyone in Thailand have it?

The GF and I will be in Chumphon soon, I'll check it out.

I am more interested in what I think of others, than what they think of me.

My question has a completely different tact from your suggestion VF.

When I'm pushing up daisies, I care naught for the feelings and thoughts about me.

What I care to contribute is that something that I have made better in Thailand ... heck, there is an endless list to choose from.

My aspirations are not as lofty as Beetlejuice's above ... but I do wish to depart, leaving the world in a slightly better shape from whence I entered it.

.

I understand where you are coming from but I have a somewhat different perspective. What is that ecotourism saying about leaving nothing but footprints and taking away nothing but memories, or something to that effect?

I will leave behind no children, debts, discarded cigaret buts or beer cans, and hopefully no regrets. I am happy to leave others to their own devices as they blaze their own path. I do not hold strong convictions about what others should do or how they should do it.

My chosen path does not include smoking, drinking, gambling, physical or verbal abuse, or cheating on my partner but I never try to impose my lifestyle upon others. Even though I am a writer of sorts, I don’t imagine anyone but my wife will truly understand who I was or care, when I am gone.

Maybe I hope that I didn’t get in anyones way while I was enjoying my brief stay on this planet.

Interesting perspective, sad to see children grouped together with debts,cigarette butts, beer cans and regrets though, to most people they are the reason for living!

In terms of universities Kasetsart University ranks as number 140 in the world followed by Chulalongkorn University at 173, Mahidol University at 202, Prince of Songkla University at 228, Khon Kaen University at 233 and Chiang Mai University at 236 where as The University of Georgia ranks at 386, The University of Tennessee 391, The University of Connecticut 365, The University of Missouri, Columbia 371, Lehigh University 351.

So, when they say the Thai school system "needs overhauling" my question is compared to what? It is more likely that we need more money to run our schools and pay our teachers and stricter standards for teachers especially foreign teachers. Teachers should have degrees in the subjects which most certainly includes English. You can not Teach French, German or Spanish without a degree in those subjects why should English be any different.

So you've chosen to compare the best universities in Thailand with some of the worst in America, interesting! http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2011

And why do foreign teachers need stricter standards than Thai teachers?

A French native speaker can teach French without a degree in French and so can a German and Spaniard too. Of course it would be nice if all teachers of English in Thailand were qualified teachers (not necessarily with a degree in English though, especially if a native speaker) but that will never happen as long as the salaries here are so low.

In 5yrs here I have observed both foreign and Thai teachers and the main difference is the teaching method. I've never seen a foreign teacher give the students the answers instead of making the student think for themself. I've never seen a foreign teacher pass a student that should have failed. I've never seen a foreign teacher turn a blind eye to plagiarism, cheating in exams or copying homework. I've never seen a foreign teacher accept a bribe. The same can't be said for many Thai teachers I've worked/work with! And lets not even start on the capability of many Thai English teachers to have an actual conversation in English.