Farangs In Thailand

[qwertz]

I'm an expat in Germany, have been to LOS many times and still can't generalise about farangs. Mainly because the term itself is very general; the fine upright English or American businessman, the backpacker and the scrote on a 2 weeks sex tour are all farangs by Thai reckoning. So are the Russian families, Ozzies, Germans, French and about 30 other nationalities, each with their own notion of personal conduct. IMO, the only line you can roughly draw is between expat and tourist farang and even then there are two sorts in each faction, the obnoxious and the nice.

[PeaceBlondie]

This reminds me of the foreigner I know. In his mid-late thirties now, and never worked a day in his life. Came to the country illegally, took many many years to get legal. Lived with one of the local rich folks, supported by the partner. Called me one time from Bangkok with a scam that I finally told him was illegal and dishonest; no thanks.

Oh - he's Thai. He just went back to America to validate his 'green card' with which he'll never work. Do I lump him in with the other Thais I met in America? Nope.

[chrisspursbkk1]

Dear PO,

Lot's of people going of the post, why?

Maybe we don't want to feed a troll. IMHO

Surely post like this are the same as fishing, someone sitting there just waiting for a bite. I really can't see anything but the worst off people coming out on this one. Was it really worth it? bet i don't get an answer? Please don't take offence as there's none intended

Hope i don't get too much abuse for this as its my very simple opinion.

My very kind regards.

Chris.

[undercover]

Asking the question of what do you think of farang is like asking what do you think of people of the world as there are so many different types of ( farang ) out here. I think its not so much the good or the bad farang that is the problem now but the number of farang.

[Maigo6]

Dear PO,

Lot's of people going of the post, why?

Maybe we don't want to feed a troll. IMHO

Surely post like this are the same as fishing, someone sitting there just waiting for a bite. I really can't see anything but the worst off people coming out on this one. Was it really worth it? bet i don't get an answer? Please don't take offence as there's none intended

Hope i don't get too much abuse for this as its my very simple opinion.

My very kind regards.

Chris.

Chris, can you try that again, when you are sober ?

[November Rain]

It's an overly simplistic question & I dislike generalising, whether it's me making the generalisation or someone else. I firmly believe that people of all nationalities, either gender, any age etc etc should be judged on their own merits, not lumped together.

[chrisspursbkk1]

Dear PO,

Lot's of people going of the post, why?

Maybe we don't want to feed a troll. IMHO

Surely post like this are the same as fishing, someone sitting there just waiting for a bite. I really can't see anything but the worst off people coming out on this one. Was it really worth it? bet i don't get an answer? Please don't take offence as there's none intended

Hope i don't get too much abuse for this as its my very simple opinion.

My very kind regards.

Chris.

Chris, can you try that again, when you are sober ?

Hi, ok you caught me there as i have had a thew beers , But can you please stop answering questions with a question as apose to answering a questions with a question all the time?

Love to hear an answer but dought it! your dear freind Chris.

PS, maybe your suprise me.

[canuckamuck]

I find that actually I am quite fascinated with farangs, even though I am one myself. I am usually curious to see what they are up to. If they’re talking, I often try and make it out, try to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Do they live here? Did they just arrive? Are they backpacking? Are they having a great time, or are they Thai bashing?

I assume it stems from my own lack of involvement with westerners. The group of farangs I hang with is pretty small and fairly predictable.

I think about 5-10 percent of the westerners I see look fairly messed up. I assume they are making up for lost time in Thailand because the girls back home don’t give them the time of day. These are mainly the ones that make us suffer negative stereotyping. Back home they are creepy, mean, dorky, or demented. Everyone knows them and they have little influence. Over here they are high rollers, and they are doing everything they couldn’t before. Dangerous and pathetic.

It’s funny that CDNVIC mentioned the Canadian Embassy. I swear that is the center of mass for people having a bad hair day. I have witnessed the most revolting language and behavior in that place. I chalk it up to the fact that most of them are at the end of their rope and that’s why they are there. (stolen passports, overstays, crime victims)

For the most part, I really enjoy the farangs I have a chance to talk to. I find them to be positive and have a good sense of humor. As far as appearance goes, they appear and disappear, just like the rest of us.

[ilyushin]

I give most an arm's length. Sort them out and usually 90% are cool enough. The other 10% are written off and I make way going another direction. Get all kind all over the place. Good, bad and some without a place.

[Maigo6]

But can you please stop answering questions with a question as apose to answering a questions with a question all the time?

What was the question again ?

[pnustedt]

I read a book once and it was awful - I swear I'll read another one!

[Dakhar]

ok, I'm maybe gonna be flamed or cut, but I'll say it whatsoever :

let's face it : a vast majority of residents here a old guys coming to buy young females, and that's it.

love for the country ? yeah, right, so why aren't they able to speak more than 20 words of thai after living here many years (I speak fluently, read and write but slowly, after not even 2 years in thailand and I'm not einstein).why the immense vast majority is totally blankly ignorant about thai culture, arts, history ?

love for their wives/girlfriends ? well, this is the part that's gonna get me cut : who can talk about love when you have no more than 20 words possibly understable by each other, and everybody knows the first reason of your relationship is you're rich (as per thai standard), she's not ????

and then the usual spectacle in major expat cities : bunch of red skinned farangs drinking beer after beer, waiting to have fun with the girls at night, talking about it and about beer at day.

those same that stare at your girlfriend/daughter, thinking any thai woman is available for money

(though I agree, this is only the really smelly ones that you notice, not all of us)

yes, there are a lot of descent expats over there, certainly not the majority in my experience.

I love my son, and he does not speak at all. He does sign pretty good for his age. No, he not deaf, it is just that sign language is easier for him. Crazy kid!

I have a falang friend in the neighborhood that married a great woman, maybe 15-20 years his junior, they have been together maybe 10 yrs. From her English ability at this time, I would venture to say the probably only shared 20 words at the time of their mariage. I am not flameing you, just letting you know, love is strange. Also, I have been in Thailand for 1 year, and unfortunatley my Thai is pretty sad. Wish I had the time to get better at it, but I work a tremendous amount of time. Maybe if I had more time it would be better. Will I be as fluent as you after 2 years? I doubt it, at my rate of progression, I really doubt it.

I learned to speak Mandaring Chinese in 2 years, but I was younger then, and that was my purpose in being there to being in that part of the world in the first place. So please, I apologize, but do not judge folks by what little they know or speak. I am sure everyone tries.

Public appearence. It is pretty sad, really. I do try, but considering when I was in the US I refused to be a victim of fasion. I tramped around in shorts and T shirts before and I still do. But when I go out with the wife, I put on a nice button down shirt.... but I still feel I look like a tramp. (but I do bathe)

Oh well, at least I try.

[jetjock]

I read a book once and it was awful - I swear I'll read another one!

You must have read the same one that I did !

[duratanium]

ok, last post from me on this one.

here and there seems to be a big deal for you, sorry pal, I'm french, and tend to use "over there" where obviously I should put "over here", fought bloody english for more than a thousand years, won't be sorry to misuse their bloody language (that was humor, BTW)

big deal.

do you ever use the right classifier when speaking thai ?

(though I admit me neither )

And didn't we have fun in the 100 years war

from a Rosbif to a frog ... hope that isn't tooooo unacceptable for the mods LOL

[chrisspursbkk1]

But can you please stop answering questions with a question as apose to answering a questions with a question all the time?

What was the question again ?

You truly get better by the day.

One day and just "maybe" one day your answer me, unto then so long.

Looking foward to my next insult in a humuors way.

Try changing your bait coz i'm not gonna bite! know what i mean Harry?

Chris.

[Neeranam]

QUOTE(makrook @ 2007-04-16 19:39:06)

ok, last post from me on this one.

here and there seems to be a big deal for you, sorry pal, I'm french, and tend to use "over there" where obviously I should put "over here", fought bloody english for more than a thousand years, won't be sorry to misuse their bloody language (that was humor, BTW)

big deal.

do you ever use the right classifier when speaking thai ?

(though I admit me neither )

Didn't you say you were fluent in Thai after 2 years?

Fluent speaker generally use the correct classifier. Most learner learn them very early. I don't know the classifier for "roti", do you? I thought it was "muan" but obviously not. I'm not fluent and have been learning for many years.

I met a "fluent" speaker, who failed my test miserably - my first question is to translate- "have you ever been in Chiang Mai?", which he got ok but when trying to say "tomorrow I'm going to hand in documents at the embassy" he only knew tomorrow, I and am going.

Actually I met someone who said they were fluent and they didn't know the Thai woed for fluent!!

Foreigners generally don't speak Thai fluently after 5 years.

Many farang in Khon Kaen are weird - walk past them and they try to look away, well 50% of them. Shout , "hey man how's it going?" and some of them look like they've shit themselves. Maybe they think I'm one of those undesirable types, or maybe coz I haven't got my shoes on.

Edited April 16, 2007 by Neeranam

[qwertz]

It's an overly simplistic question & I dislike generalising, whether it's me making the generalisation or someone else. I firmly believe that people of all nationalities, either gender, any age etc etc should be judged on their own merits, not lumped together.

That was the point I was trying to make, NR and it depends on who's judging too.

[ThaiGoon]

Not so sure about farangs in Thailand. But majority of farangs on this forum have certainly given me a certain impression, and I will let all my Thai friends know about it whenever I have an opportunity.

[qwertz]

Not so sure about farangs in Thailand. But majority of farangs on this forum have certainly given me a certain impression, and I will let all my Thai friends know about it whenever I have an opportunity.

I hope the certain impression you have of me is not too negative. I'm very well behaved in real life, despite being a farang.

P.S. see post 47

Edited April 16, 2007 by qwertz

[ThaiGoon]

Not so sure about farangs in Thailand. But majority of farangs on this forum have certainly given me a certain impression, and I will let all my Thai friends know about it whenever I have an opportunity.

I hope the certain impression you have of me is not too negative. I'm very well behaved in real life, despite being a farang.

P.S. see post 47

Qwertz, you are certainly in the minority in my view. (Sincere wai krab.)

[britmaveric]

It's an overly simplistic question & I dislike generalising, whether it's me making the generalisation or someone else. I firmly believe that people of all nationalities, either gender, any age etc etc should be judged on their own merits, not lumped together.

Spot on November dear!!!

For the most part I think farangs represent themselves quite well, though I have met some real tossers, but you get that everywhere in the world.

[chrisspursbkk1]

Not so sure about farangs in Thailand. But majority of farangs on this forum have certainly given me a certain impression, and I will let all my Thai friends know about it whenever I have an opportunity.

I hope they receive a great responce! but to be honest i wouldn't blame you for giving a negative one due to all the bickering. Fair play for being open minded.

Chris.

[Jimjim]

I think farangs in Thailand are foreigners, and not Thai. But in their home country they are no longer farang.

[endure]

Not so sure about farangs in Thailand. But majority of farangs on this forum have certainly given me a certain impression, and I will let all my Thai friends know about it whenever I have an opportunity.

Then you're just as judgmental about people you've never met as the farangs you criticise, aren't you?

[kayo]

Ok. Here's a couple of satang.

Have a read of this, then answer my question below. Bear with me, I'm feeling a wee bit philosophical.

There are drug using people. There are sober people.

There are people that used to do drugs but are now sober. There people who have been sober, who now are drunks.

There are fat people. There are thin people.

There are people who once were fat, but now are slim. There are people who once were thin, but now are fat.

There are kind people. There are unkind people.

There are people who once were kind, but now are jaded. There are people who once were jaded, but now are kind.

There are people who are good most of the time. There are people who are more often not so good.

There are wealthy people. There are poor people.

there are people who once were.... you get the drift here...

There are people with a lot of spirituality in them. There are people with little spirituality in them.

etc... etc...

NOW. My question is this: What Nationality/country am i referring to?

[LaoPo]

Ok. Here's a couple of satang.

Have a read of this, then answer my question below. Bear with me, I'm feeling a wee bit philosophical.

There are drug using people. There are sober people.

There are people that used to do drugs but are now sober. There people who have been sober, who now are drunks.

There are fat people. There are thin people.

There are people who once were fat, but now are slim. There are people who once were thin, but now are fat.

There are kind people. There are unkind people.

There are people who once were kind, but now are jaded. There are people who once were jaded, but now are kind.

There are people who are good most of the time. There are people who are more often not so good.

There are wealthy people. There are poor people.

there are people who once were.... you get the drift here...

There are people with a lot of spirituality in them. There are people with little spirituality in them.

etc... etc...

NOW. My question is this: What Nationality/country am i referring to?

Andorra ?

LaoPo

[bmanly]

Ok. Here's a couple of satang.

Have a read of this, then answer my question below. Bear with me, I'm feeling a wee bit philosophical.

There are drug using people. There are sober people.

There are people that used to do drugs but are now sober. There people who have been sober, who now are drunks.

There are fat people. There are thin people.

There are people who once were fat, but now are slim. There are people who once were thin, but now are fat.

There are kind people. There are unkind people.

There are people who once were kind, but now are jaded. There are people who once were jaded, but now are kind.

There are people who are good most of the time. There are people who are more often not so good.

There are wealthy people. There are poor people.

there are people who once were.... you get the drift here...

There are people with a lot of spirituality in them. There are people with little spirituality in them.

etc... etc...

NOW. My question is this: What Nationality/country am i referring to?

Every country on the planet, well written.

[Maigo6]

At least your honest, by the way what happened to your Pattaya bashing threads?

I was too honest.

[kmart]

"Farangs In Thailand?" Seems to be the same cross-section or "slice of life" of people you might find abroad in a lot of countries....? But lets not miss any opportunity to claim superiority or the higher moral ground from them, eh?

[shochu]

MTW,

You completely misread my post.

Looking is one thing anytime, such as one looks at an object - but staring with intent is wrong anytime, whether with someone or not - just plain rude and we as westerners who were supposedly inculcated with some form of civility should know better. Thais, many who might be new to seeing a farang will stare because they may not have been exposed to farangs before - either way we should give them the benefit of the doubt since we are in their country - no?

Just to give an example of the people I think are causing friction here:

I was at a coffee shop one afternoon and I believe the singer Punch came out in the hot sun to have a coffe and bread. I was the only one outside. Everyone was inside in the air-con. Within a minute guys, old enough to be her father were scrambling out and asking to sit at my table and her table because there was no more room. AND they made no bones of checking her out to the point she quickly finished up and left. Did I look? Yes at first to see who it was, then I went back to reading, but I did feel the vibe all around and couldn't help notice how uncomfortable it was fro her and felt sorry for her. She is a very cute and actually a beautiful young thai women about 22/23. The operative word here being YOUNG. Would I even contemplate trying something - no. It is ridiculous to think we can even try something. It is this ridiculous attitude that is ruining things here very fast.

I talk to thais sometimes and trust me - they are fed up and it takes a lot to ge tthem to amnit something of this nature.

And what difference does it make if someone ius here or there. I don't live in LOS bu ti have been coming here close to 20 years so I have an idea of things here.

And MTV was it good to get it off your chest or is there somehting else bothering you?