ayayay

Personally i love them, it is up to the individual - it's their skin.

A look here might change some peoples blinkered vision. http://www.inkedandsexy.com/blogs/news

I just cannot see what mentality some people have that makes them want to permanently disfigure themselves. But as you rightfully say, it's their skin. Has nobody noticed that it's mostly ugly guys who have tattoos, and also facial hair?

Yes, I agree.

The classic combination is:

1. Many tattoos

2. Facial hair

3. Overweight

4. Bald

I have many friends who have tattoos, me personally I think it is horribly ugly. And on girls, it is even worse...

I say, go to the gym

A very nice post, and I am sure there are many more of him in Thailand.

Unfortunately, we foreigners tend to attract certain Thai people who are into money, and artificial things, more than regular Thais. Therefore many of us, have more experience with that.

I'm convinced that these things also happens because foreigners allow them to happen, be that because they don't realize, or misplaced generosity (of the type, "Oh, 100 Bt is nothing to me! And this person works so hard!)

Yes, in fact, many foreigners are quite happy to be discriminated. They are both happy to be the "dancing monkey farang", and also happy to be the victim of discrimination.

There are several of them here, who even makes fun of the fact that some Thais openly discriminate us.

How did you come to find out it was a bad word?

You have to read my posts, then you will understand.

I read your posts and discovered that all of the Thai people you talked to don't think anything is wrong with the word Farang and that it has no connection whatsoever with double pricing or value of a person in general.

Ok, still does not seem to be able to get my point.

Farang is not viewed in general, as a bad word.

However, when a non racist western person refer to another persons skin color, it is usually in a specific situation, where it is really called for. other than that, there is usually no need for it. Once we become close friends with that "person of color", we also almost always tend to forget about that persons skin color.

Thais on the other hand, always see our skin color first, and they never ever let go of that notion. So even though you are very close to your extended Thai family, in most cases, you are still first and foremost "farang". And very foreign to the rest of the Thai-family.

Because of this, that you are always seen as a foreigner, an outsider, you are also much easier to rip off, scam, discriminate.

By making a choice to not promote the use of "farang", it WILL make us more human, and less objectified in the eyes of the Thais.

It will certainly benefit us who stays here for an extended time in Thailand.

All Thais racially profile all the time. It is a facet of their culture.

So whilst 'farang' is not, in itself, a perjorative term, anything that a 'farang' does or says will be immediately linked to their race, 'farang', and not their personality.

Yes, this is true

just watched between 41 and 43 min. and i found it quite lame and depressing. I can't think a better word to define a relationship

between thai and foreigner.

Yeah these video sum up it all. I trully pity foreigner with thai wives.

By the way they should have titled this thread "best idiot monkey farang with his thai brownies".

I think this might be a little extreme, but still, we get a sense of what some relationships are like, and in what way many (not all, but many) Thais think about us.

Have you ever told a male Thai adult not to call you Farang? What happened?

I have told many, and at first they usually look at me, a little surprised, and I explained very briefly with a few words. And even though some did not fully understood, they respected it, and avoid using it "more than necessary".

Not a big deal, but it sure can spread pretty fast, if we all just avoid using it too much, it will benefit us in the long run.

How did you come to find out it was a bad word?

You have to read my posts, then you will understand.

Elderly foreigner hurt in bike-car smash in Phuket

Weird headline because it appears the mc rider had the worst of it.

Just what I thought as well

My point is, that we can sure greatly improve the odds that this can change, just by trying to avoid calling ourself "farang" all the time. And every now and then, point out, that we indeed prefer to not be referred to as "farang", all the time.

This is a huge step towards making us more human, and less objectified.

Have you ever told a male Thai adult not to call you Farang? What happened?

I have told many, and at first they usually look at me, a little surprised, and I explained very briefly with a few words. And even though some did not fully understood, they respected it, and avoid using it "more than necessary".

Not a big deal, but it sure can spread pretty fast, if we all just avoid using it too much, it will benefit us in the long run.

"I personally think that, as foreigners being guest in this country, we shouldn't involve in national matters that we mostly do not understand.

1- We have accepted (for different personal - good - reasons) to have no domestic right.

2- Paying taxes and spending money here didn't change our blood. None of us can become Thai nor can "think Thai"

3- Even after 10 or 20 years here, we will not understand totally the positions of each side.

4- If we want Thai people to respect us, let's start to be respectable. Let's be out of these national matters concerning Thais only.

5- Whatever the government is or will be, if we want to live in Thailand we must follow the rules.

6- If we are not happy, so let's go back to our countries and be fine there ;-)"

Well. My husband is thai and for the time being he lives with me in France. Here in France, you do not have to change your "blood" to become french. Saying otherwise would appear as a fascist, xenophobist argument. So, my husband will in a soon future become french and be granted the right to vote. Until then, knowing that he lives in France, I am very happy if he has an opinion of the politics here and want to say this opinion publicly.

So I do not see why foreigners who live in Thailand should not have the right to discuss the political situation and take sides. As for the "national matters concerning Thais only" that you mention: those "Thais" can sometimes be a foreigner's own children, if they have married a thai citizen. Should they not be concerned about what the country has to offer to their Thai kids?

Not talking about the fight against Franco in spain in the 1930's: the involvment of many foreigners there to fight dictatorship is looked at as an act of heroism... So, does it still look so simple to you?

Very good post

I have an acquaintance who loves to attend these gatherings that are typical "Thai", why? Cause he loves the attention he gets from the Thais of being the only foreigner around them. It is pretty pathetic, and hopefully he will get tired of it soon.

I would have to step in and defend Thailiketoo and say that Thais sure can have respect for us. I am sure he gets respect from some of his friends in his community, what he does fail to see though, is that Thailand is very racist, and that the use and notion of the word "farang" is indeed a proof if this. Even though Thais usually means no direct harm with the word.

Thais can have as much respect for you as far as a "falang" goes. My point is that you will never, ever be respected and treated like a Thai even if you have lived here 100 years and have 100 million baht in the bank. This is a fact. It is what it is.

My point is, that we can sure greatly improve the odds that this can change, just by trying to avoid calling ourself "farang" all the time. And every now and then, point out, that we indeed prefer to not be referred to as "farang", all the time.

This is a huge step towards making us more human, and less objectified.

I am respected as most other normal people, don´t worry about me.

I am talking in general, I am not speaking about myself.

What I am saying is, "farang" is an objectifying word, and by increasing the use, and promoting this word, it only makes us appear more distant and more "other", than is necessary.

This in itself, makes it easer for Thais to not relate to us, scam us, and rip us off, etc.

I am talking about you. You say above that you are respected. What do you do that makes you respected that is different than most people?

I have become part of my Thai community so I don't have any problems. But what is it that you do? I speak Thai am a Buddhist and help with community projects. What do you do? I help with stray dogs getting them neutered and checked by the local vet. People here appreciate that. What do you do?

You did say you were respected, right? I told you what I do to gain that respect. What do you do?

You can complain about the darkness or light a candle. What do you do?

You can praise Buddha as much as you want, speak Thai fluently and break your back for your community. At the end of the day you are, will always be just a farang.

You will never be respected as a Thai (even the lowest Thai), merely tolerated and when it comes down to it, will receive no more respect than Joe Whiteboy straight off the airbus at swampy.

Get used to it.

Precisely. If this guy gets run down by a truck in front of the temple, the villagers would giggle and go thru his pockets.

I would have to step in and defend Thailiketoo and say that Thais sure can have respect for us. I am sure he gets respect from some of his friends in his community, what he does fail to see though, is that Thailand is very racist, and that the use and notion of the word "farang" is indeed a proof if this. Even though Thais usually means no direct harm with the word.

Up to you!

I am respected as most other normal people, don´t worry about me.

I am talking in general, I am not speaking about myself.

What I am saying is, "farang" is an objectifying word, and by increasing the use, and promoting this word, it only makes us appear more distant and more "other", than is necessary.

This in itself, makes it easer for Thais to not relate to us, scam us, and rip us off, etc.

I am talking about you. You say above that you are respected. What do you do that makes you respected that is different than most people?

I have become part of my Thai community so I don't have any problems. But what is it that you do? I speak Thai am a Buddhist and help with community projects. What do you do? I help with stray dogs getting them neutered and checked by the local vet. People here appreciate that. What do you do?

You did say you were respected, right? I told you what I do to gain that respect. What do you do?

You can complain about the darkness or light a candle. What do you do?

You are so convinced that you are correct, so you are missing all the information given to you.

Do not worry about me, I am talking about racism, and objectification in general.

I argue that the word "farang" helps to reinforce the notion of us as something else, something other, and the more we use it, the stronger the notion becomes. And it is of no help, actually it does more harm than good.

I am respected as most other normal people, don´t worry about me.

I am talking in general, I am not speaking about myself.

What I am saying is, "farang" is an objectifying word, and by increasing the use, and promoting this word, it only makes us appear more distant and more "other", than is necessary.

This in itself, makes it easer for Thais to not relate to us, scam us, and rip us off, etc.

You know what that sounds like? You get respected but everyone else gets no respect in Thailand. You know what that sounds like? Mine's different!

You are just very ignorant and naive, and as a result, never ever reflected upon the issues I am addressing.

Most commonly tourists, and newcomers, especially males in their early twenties think and act in a similar way as you.

There is a poster on Thai Visa who gets beat up by tuk tuk drivers. He thinks Farang is a bad word.

It is very bad word, but it is not MEANT to be a bad word.

I saw the post where you were happy to be the only "farang" giving money to the monks.

In that post I can clearly see that you are very happy to be the "dancing monkey". The one that sticks out.

We all did, for a few years, but after awhile, most of us, just want to relax, and be treated with respect, in a normal way.

This is a little bit like the same mechanism why celebrities, usually do not want to be around people who loves them because they are famous, the want to be loved for who they really are.

The same way for many foreigners living here, after a while, they want to be loved and respected by their close friends, like a regular human being, not an object "farang".

But some people just loves to be that object, you seem to be one of them. Personally, I got tired of it, just after a few years living here.

I don't have any problems being loved and respected by my close friends. Have you given much thought to why you are not? Since Thai people respect some Farang and not others; perhaps you should query some of the loved and respected ones who might give you some pointers.

I am respected as most other normal people, don´t worry about me.

I am talking in general, I am not speaking about myself.

What I am saying is, "farang" is an objectifying word, and by increasing the use, and promoting this word, it only makes us appear more distant and more "other", than is necessary.

This in itself, makes it easer for Thais to not relate to us, scam us, and rip us off, etc.

One thing this thread (your OP and follow-up posts) has displayed is that some Members here don't value their reputation and Stradavarius37, your Card is marked[/size][/font].

What continues to amaze the members here is that you continue to blame us, satire vs sarcasm.

When your hole is that deep, wise men stop digging ... maybe time now to show the Forum how smart you are.

.

Just because OP has way too much time on his hands, does not mean that he is intelligent. In fact, his posts actually shows the opposite.

There is a poster on Thai Visa who gets beat up by tuk tuk drivers. He thinks Farang is a bad word.

It is very bad word, but it is not MEANT to be a bad word.

I saw the post where you were happy to be the only "farang" giving money to the monks.

In that post I can clearly see that you are very happy to be the "dancing monkey". The one that sticks out.

We all did, for a few years, but after awhile, most of us, just want to relax, and be treated with respect, in a normal way.

This is a little bit like the same mechanism why celebrities, usually do not want to be around people who loves them because they are famous, the want to be loved for who they really are.

The same way for many foreigners living here, after a while, they want to be loved and respected by their close friends, like a regular human being, not an object "farang".

But some people just loves to be that object, you seem to be one of them. Personally, I got tired of it, just after a few years living here.

many shops in Fortune Town Rama 9 subway. Plus turntables, belts, needles, you name. Range from old, well it's all old but classic to rock and rare good atuff

OP is asking about a place in CM, not Bangkok

I like short, young girls, with a nice ass, nice boobs, nice smile, good cook, and a decent amount of intelligence.

Yes, I am.

I understand that is your experience and I can understand why. You asked a question and I answered it. You contradicted your elder in both age and experience in Thailand. No wonder people treat you the way you imagine. But not all people are you. For me you are not correct. I'm almost 70 and first came to Thailand in 1968. I would imagine I arrived in Thailand a long time before you were born but that's just a guess.

I did not ask a question.

Meanwhile age usually have to do with knowledge, it is very obvious, it is not always the case.

Thai people use the word farang, far more closely related to objectification, than a non-racist western person use the word black/white etc, when referring to skin color.

The more important it is to label a person, to a special group, that is, other than ourselves, the more distant, and alien, the person is in your mind.

Check out the thread "Competition of best farang & Thai couple" here on Thai visa:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/683627-competition-of-best-farang-thai-couple/

scroll to 41:30 into the video clip, it is amusing...

Unfortunately, the notion of "farang", is more than just a need to classify a specific group of people, it is THE most important thing Thais will see when they see a white person. No matter education, or status i society, "farang" is first off, very close to be seen as an group object, and only secondly as an individual/person.

In our Western cultures, two of the most socially inappropriate things you can do is to make open references to race and money. So obviously it takes some acclimatizing in Thailand as Thais do those two precise things as often as they breathe.

Yes, they use it as often as they breath, and why would they think it is wrong, (yes it is wrong, just because we live here, does not mean we have to think everything is great about Thai culture), when many of us "farangs" loves to play the role of the dancing monkey?

I know, I did it myself for the first few years I lived here, before I realized how deeply problematic the issue really is.