Thailander?

[dumspero]

Why is it that Filipinos generally insist on calling Thais, "Thailander" -- it's not something I've ever heard others say. And it's difficult to back them off it, too.

Always makes me think of Thais wielding large swords and attempting to take each other's heads. Or maybe an SUV with special Thai options, such as overhead storage for amulets, extra-large coin storage area for a roll of baht for the typical pay-as-you-go traffic citations, and maybe even a custom front bumper to clear road debris such as smaller vehicles, motosai, kwai, dogs and pedestrians.

On the other hand, at least they can generally speak several languages and tend to be less judgmental than this scribe, but still, I do wonder where they got the term "Thailander."

[Jet Gorgon]

ForeignER

Edited February 16, 2007 by Jet Gorgon

[duncaw]

Mcleod (Lambert): But how do you fight such a man?

Ramirez (Connery): Lie......cheat......steal...... In the end there can be only one!

[chownah]

Do you call people from Iceland "Ices"....do you call people from Greenland "Greens"...do you call people from Finnland "Finns"....ooooops.....forget that last one.

[Amihan]

Why is it that Filipinos generally insist on calling Thais, "Thailander" -- it's not something I've ever heard others say. And it's difficult to back them off it, too.

Always makes me think of Thais wielding large swords and attempting to take each other's heads. Or maybe an SUV with special Thai options, such as overhead storage for amulets, extra-large coin storage area for a roll of baht for the typical pay-as-you-go traffic citations, and maybe even a custom front bumper to clear road debris such as smaller vehicles, motosai, kwai, dogs and pedestrians.

On the other hand, at least they can generally speak several languages and tend to be less judgmental than this scribe, but still, I do wonder where they got the term "Thailander."

Hmmm because your country is called Thailand...so an -er is added when talking about the inhabitants of Thailand. Us filipinos don't have a specific word for thai people....so we just call them thailander.

Don't thais call filipinos...farang????????

[richard10365]

Maybe the Thai-Landers use to refer to Phillipinoes are Phillipino-Islanders

[steveromagnino]

Hmmm because your country is called Thailand...so an -er is added when talking about the inhabitants of Thailand. Us filipinos don't have a specific word for thai people....so we just call them thailander.

Don't thais call filipinos...farang????????

Farang? Hardly ever. Because Filipinos are not white, farang = white people.

Also not called farang = Indians, Arabs, African people, Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, etc.

If we are going to talk about idiosycracies of language, then how come almost all farang make an absolute butchery of the tones in the Thai language (and that includes me, I blame my farang blood for that)?? Similar question, to which the answer is, who knows, it just is, drive on.

How come Singaporeans say 'my one' instead of mine and add Lah onto almost everything they can?

Life is full of mysteries, revel in the delights of the unknown.

[Amihan]

Hmmm because your country is called Thailand...so an -er is added when talking about the inhabitants of Thailand. Us filipinos don't have a specific word for thai people....so we just call them thailander.

Don't thais call filipinos...farang????????

Farang? Hardly ever. Because Filipinos are not white, farang = white people.

Also not called farang = Indians, Arabs, African people, Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, etc.

If we are going to talk about idiosycracies of language, then how come almost all farang make an absolute butchery of the tones in the Thai language (and that includes me, I blame my farang blood for that)?? Similar question, to which the answer is, who knows, it just is, drive on.

How come Singaporeans say 'my one' instead of mine and add Lah onto almost everything they can?

Life is full of mysteries, revel in the delights of the unknown.

I thought farang was meant to describe outsiders...????? Oh well

[t.s]

Why is it that Filipinos generally insist on calling Thais, "Thailander" -- it's not something I've ever heard others say. And it's difficult to back them off it, too.

Always makes me think of Thais wielding large swords and attempting to take each other's heads. Or maybe an SUV with special Thai options, such as overhead storage for amulets, extra-large coin storage area for a roll of baht for the typical pay-as-you-go traffic citations, and maybe even a custom front bumper to clear road debris such as smaller vehicles, motosai, kwai, dogs and pedestrians.

On the other hand, at least they can generally speak several languages and tend to be less judgmental than this scribe, but still, I do wonder where they got the term "Thailander."

Hmmm because your country is called Thailand...so an -er is added when talking about the inhabitants of Thailand. Us filipinos don't have a specific word for thai people....so we just call them thailander.

Don't thais call filipinos...farang????????

OP: brilliant post.

no they dont consider you farang.

and what do you mean you dont have a word for people from thailand? if you speak english, the word is, you guessed it, Thai.

[listenup]

Dumspro - Your thoughts on Thailander made me laugh! ... "Or maybe an SUV with special Thai options"

I'm currently in the Philippines with my thai g/f. Someone asked her if she was a thailander last night, we both just laughed. I didn't realise that all philiipinos called thai people that, we thought that the lady was joking.

[Amihan]

Maybe the Thai-Landers use to refer to Phillipinoes are Phillipino-Islanders

LOL I would like to see them try to say that. LOL one reason that maybe filipinos call thais..thailanders..is because there is no spanish word for thai.

if u never realized...filipinos call foreigners in spanish names with filipino spelling.

[Amihan]

Why is it that Filipinos generally insist on calling Thais, "Thailander" -- it's not something I've ever heard others say. And it's difficult to back them off it, too.

Always makes me think of Thais wielding large swords and attempting to take each other's heads. Or maybe an SUV with special Thai options, such as overhead storage for amulets, extra-large coin storage area for a roll of baht for the typical pay-as-you-go traffic citations, and maybe even a custom front bumper to clear road debris such as smaller vehicles, motosai, kwai, dogs and pedestrians.

On the other hand, at least they can generally speak several languages and tend to be less judgmental than this scribe, but still, I do wonder where they got the term "Thailander."

Hmmm because your country is called Thailand...so an -er is added when talking about the inhabitants of Thailand. Us filipinos don't have a specific word for thai people....so we just call them thailander.

Don't thais call filipinos...farang????????

OP: brilliant post.

no they dont consider you farang.

and what do you mean you dont have a word for people from thailand? if you speak english, the word is, you guessed it, Thai.

not everyone in the Philippines speaks english.

And thai is not on the filipino dictionary...we call chinese tsino, instik not chinese...okay

[dumspero]

Amihan- So why not use the word 'Thai' regardless of whether it's in a Filipino (Tagalog?) dictionary? The word wasn't always part of any language. Times change, languages evolve and add words to meet the needs of technology, globalization, etc. Certainly the word is in the English langauge, and that is as you know an official language in the Philippines.

But in any event, didn't mean any offense by the post, just pointing out something that I've found funny and curious--just as I often make fun of Americans' (like me) funny ways.

[MiG16]

farang = caucasian

or farang = guava

there's a story I heard about how the word farang came to be used for referring to a caucasian....

way way back probably in rama V time... an old lady selling fruits in the market saw a caucasian man approach her stall, in shock/surprise (in those days caucasian faces were not common, those that came usually stayed within the palace or other less common grounds)...anyhow she tipped part of what she was selling at the stalls and the guavas fell to the ground....so she calls out "Ui farang!" -- meaning "oops gauva!" since then they started to use the word farang for caucasians

I guess onlookers kinda adopted the word thinking she was pointing the guy out to them and referring to him as farang....

dont ask me if its a real story... but atleast it might help you to think differently about the word (I only realised from this forum that some take offense at the word).....its not intended to offend

[Richard W]

'Thailander' actually has one advantage over 'Thai'. 'Thailander' refers to a connection with Thailand - 'Thai' is also an ethnic designation.

Richard.

[Richard W]

farang = caucasian

or farang = guava

...guavas fell to the ground....so she calls out "Ui farang!" -- meaning "oops gauva!" since then they started to use the word farang for caucasians

I've read an opposite account - Guava is called 'farang' because it was brought to Thailand from South America by farangs (Portuguese to be precise).

Farang is just the Thai form of 'Frank', and the more distant one gets from Franconia the more people are encompassed in the term. Thus to the Greeks it means a Western European, whereas I believe the Thais class the Greeks as farangs.

[thai_narak]

Hmmm because your country is called Thailand...so an -er is added when talking about the inhabitants of Thailand. Us filipinos don't have a specific word for thai people....so we just call them thailander.

Don't thais call filipinos...farang????????

Farang? Hardly ever. Because Filipinos are not white, farang = white people.

Also not called farang = Indians, Arabs, African people, Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, etc.

If we are going to talk about idiosycracies of language, then how come almost all farang make an absolute butchery of the tones in the Thai language (and that includes me, I blame my farang blood for that)?? Similar question, to which the answer is, who knows, it just is, drive on.

How come Singaporeans say 'my one' instead of mine and add Lah onto almost everything they can?

Life is full of mysteries, revel in the delights of the unknown.

the original meaning of farang was actually foreigner but since white/caucasian people obviously looks foreign in thailand the word farang has been associated with (farang) by default. to now, a thai will not call a chinese, indian, etc. a farang because the word farang has changed over times.

having said that, what do thai people call the other foreigners then??? "mai chai khun thai " seems not the right term for non-farang but also foreigner people in thailand...

Edited February 16, 2007 by thai_narak

[dumspero]

Thai narak- Thais have a word for foreigner: "Kon dtaangchaat."

[MiG16]

foreigner in thai .. "chao tang prathed"

or "chao tang chad"

[Erwin1011]

Farang seems to be originally as reference to French or France or Franks. A similar situation you find in Iran where you find the reference to Ferangi, pharsi for French and/or Franks

[thai_narak]

Thai narak- Thais have a word for foreigner: "Kon dtaangchaat."

foreigner in thai .. "chao tang prathed"

or "chao tang chad"

i guess my wife is not a real thai, how come she doesn't these terms?

Edited February 16, 2007 by thai_narak

[canuckamuck]

The first large influential group of foreigners to Thailand were the french. Their language of course is 'Francais'. You can imagine how the Thai accent pared that down to farang. The word just ended up meaning white guy. Unfortunateley they used the french language word for the english language 'Anglais' as the word for the english language. Which is why we are stuck angrit for english instead of englich which would make more sense.

I can't see why they won't quit saying angrit and switch to englich, especially after they have learned some English. It's not cultural, its just a mistake.

[Richard W]

The first large influential group of foreigners to Thailand were the french.

Why are you discounting the Portuguese?

[phibunmike]

Or maybe an SUV with special Thai options, such as overhead storage for amulets, extra-large coin storage area for a roll of baht for the typical pay-as-you-go traffic citations, and maybe even a custom front bumper to clear road debris such as smaller vehicles, motosai, kwai, dogs and pedestrians.

You forgot the extra-large rear-view mirror with a row of hooks along the bottom...

edit> Why are they called "rear-view" mirrors - they would hardly be for forward vision, would they ?

Edited February 17, 2007 by phibunmike

[Jet Gorgon]

The first large influential group of foreigners to Thailand were the french.

Why are you discounting the Portuguese?

I'm with you, Richard. The Portuguese were the first foreigners in Thailand, setting up a trade base in Malacca in the early 1500s. Alot of Portuguese traders settled in the old capital, Ayutthya, too. Wonder what the Thais called the first Portuguese? Parangee?

[astral]

I thought farang was meant to describe outsiders...????? Oh well

It does.

Everyone outside Asia.............

Otherwise they are referred to by the country of origin.

Khon Chin, Khon Gawli, etc

[Amihan]

I thought farang was meant to describe outsiders...????? Oh well

It does.

Everyone outside Asia.............

Otherwise they are referred to by the country of origin.

Khon Chin, Khon Gawli, etc

oh okay... so have we established the fact that thais being called thailander is okay??

[canuckamuck]

The first large influential group of foreigners to Thailand were the french.

Why are you discounting the Portuguese?

I'm with you, Richard. The Portuguese were the first foreigners in Thailand, setting up a trade base in Malacca in the early 1500s. Alot of Portuguese traders settled in the old capital, Ayutthya, too. Wonder what the Thais called the first Portuguese? Parangee?

Yes I apologize, the Portuguese were first. What I was implying is that the French actually influenced Thai culture and politics. I am unaware of any lasting Portuguese impact.

Mainly my point was about the word farang. The rest is split hairs eh?

[meadish_sweetball]

Thai narak- Thais have a word for foreigner: "Kon dtaangchaat."

foreigner in thai .. "chao tang prathed"

or "chao tang chad"

i guess my wife is not a real thai, how come she doesn't [???] these terms?

Not sure what verb was omitted in your post, but I will guess it was 'use' and not 'know'. Because any native Thai will know these terms. If she said she does not, show them to her written in Thai, and she will:

คนต่างชาติ

ชาวต่างชาติ

ชาวต่างประเทศ

Why doesn't she use them? Because they are a bit formal. She might use them in an official situation, for example in a discussion with an official.

People from Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, Burma etc. are usually referred to with their nation names, but for many of them there are also alternative forms that are less polite.

[meadish_sweetball]

I can't see why they won't quit saying angrit and switch to englich, especially after they have learned some English. It's not cultural, its just a mistake.

If you say 'angkrit' is a mistake, then by the same line or reasoning, 'French', 'German', 'Swedish', 'Finnish' as used in English are also mistakes and you should all change to refer to these languages as 'Francais', 'Deutsch', 'Svenska', 'Suomi'; Mandarin Chinese should be 'putonghua', Spanish should be 'espanol' or even 'Castellano' which is what Standard Spanish is commonly referred to as in the Spanish speaking world ... etc.

It's simply not how languages or borrowings work.

The first large influential group of foreigners to Thailand were the french. Their language of course is 'Francais'. You can imagine how the Thai accent pared that down to farang.

I agree the exaplanation seems to make sense, but it is probably incorrect.

The most credible theory of the word's origins pins it down to the word 'Frank' (which was what the Vikings called the people of 'Frankland' (i.e. more or less present day France). This word spread to the Arabs, and during the crusades was used for all people with white skin who to them looked like the French. There is a similar word in Persian as well... and in other languages along the muslim trade routes to East Asia.