Does it bother you being labelled as a "Farang" when in the company of Thais?

[Walker88]

Such terms are common in homogenous, insular societies. They can be used as a pejorative, though that's not always the case. Even in diverse societies such monikers exist, and quite often they are far from complimentary.

 

In Thailand, white folks are farang. In Japan, it's gaijin. In Hong Kong, it's gwai lo (which is definitely pejorative, as it mean white devil).

[RichardColeman]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

In a room full of Asians, I don't find that method particularly effective.

But I could ask about the fat guy, thin guy, short guy, yellow flip-flops, chang wife beater vest, speccky four eyes, etc.

Your friend would ask which one ? 

[Surelynot]

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I don't associate with such people.

I didn't associate or socialise with racists (more than once) in the west either.

Funny you should say that....just broken off a friendship of some 40 years.......I pretended not to know (strange?)....but the guy is a racist and I just couldn't tolerate the situation anymore......he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer and I guess I gave him some latitude because of that!!!! 

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

2 hours ago, WineOh said:

for my personal situation, I have known this set of Thai people almost a decade.

Friends of my wife mostly, so they are around regularly.

Nice enough people but once the drink starts flowing the F word always rears its ugly head!

Seems to me you are the one with the problem. Why does it bother you? Just accept it. You are a farang (foreigner in daily Thai language), and I assume that´s something you will have a hard time changing or denying.

Edited February 14, 2021 by Dagfinnur Traustason

[ChipButty]

We have quite a large circle of family and friends I never hear them say it, the older ones use my first name and the younger ones mostly call me Papa, which is ok by me, 

They are all lovely people we used to get them visiting often here in Phuket and never do any of them come empty handed, got one auntie knows I like red wine always brings me a couple of bottles.

I did have a G/F years ago and her little nephew could not stop calling me farang I had to tell them my name is not farang he was picking it up from the adults around him.

[Sujo]

I changed my name to Farang. Everyone talks about me all the time. Im so popular.

[Dart12]

I'd be insulted by the neighbor who wouldn't let you in the house because you are "a dirty disease carrier" and speak to your wife that you should quit being neighborly with them in any manner.

The other items?  if you want to feel insulted, that's up to you to address with them then. 

I'm not sure I'd care.

If you are going to be just the farang to them, then BE the farang:

Put your wallet on the table stuffed with 1000's and your magnum condom protruding out.  ???? 

Put a slide show of your nice house, and vacations, and cars on your phone.

By owning it, you take their power away. ????
 

[ThailandRyan]

Going to Change my name to Farang Somchai Porn, that should fix the problem.

[WineOh]

3 minutes ago, Dart12 said:

Put your wallet on the table stuffed with 1000's and your magnum condom protruding out.  ???? 

Put a slide show of your nice house, and vacations, and cars on your phone.

By owning it, you take their power away. ????
 

Now that's an angle I may well try in the future!

Cheers mate ???? 

[polpott]

47 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

correcting them?  It's not an impolite word.  You would be unforgivably arrogant to suggest to a Thai that it was. 

True, and here's the definitive of what the word farang means to a Thai.

 

 

[1FinickyOne]

39 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

But I could ask about the fat guy

hey, hey, watch it now!! 

[Psimbo]

2 hours ago, WineOh said:

I'm sure this topic has been done to death on here before, but as of yet I haven't seen one.

My question is, when you are in the company of Thai people, say at a dinner, wedding or whatever, does it bother you when you are constantly referred to as the farang?

 

For me it happens quite a lot,

as I spend lots of time with thais I hear the term regularly.

When I first moved here it didn't bother me at all, but now it kind of does.

It wears you down when you hear it constantly,

like it or not but the word Farang is a label.

It creates an 'us and them' mentality amongst the locals.

The word itself may pose little harm on its own, but after years of being constantly reminded that you are a foreigner, an outsider, it gets to you.

 

Why is there a deep distrust among Thais with the farang?

I recall one recent episode that happened a few weeks ago.

one of our neighbours had just had a baby, the grandmother was there to stay.

she was more than happy to let my wife come and see him but she asked specifically not to let the farang in.

when my wife asked why, her response was 'farang mai dee. covid yer.'

this is just one example of hundreds I have experienced over the years.

Some days it doesnt bother me at all, other days like today it gets on my t*ts!

 

How about you lot?

does it bother you always being labelled a foreigner when in the company of locals? 

 

 

Yes it has. You don't like Chinese New Year, you don't like a non-derogatory term, you don't like this about Thailand, you don't like that about Thailand 

 

Why are you here? You clearly are not suited to the place. Methinks your id does you justice.

 

By the way when it comes to the locals you ARE a foreigner by the way. Tis not Rocket Science.

[Kwasaki]

With family and friends they all me by name. 

What Thai strangers call me I couldn't care less, there culturely different so you have to except a certain amount of there ignorance when it comes to bad manners.

[orchis]

40 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Funny you should say that....just broken off a friendship of some 40 years.......I pretended not to know (strange?)....but the guy is a racist and I just couldn't tolerate the situation anymore......he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer and I guess I gave him some latitude because of that!!!! 

took you only 40 years to get a clue.

[WineOh]

2 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

By the way when it comes to the locals you ARE a foreigner by the way

You missed my point.

never mind.

[WineOh]

2 minutes ago, orchis said:

took you only 40 years to get a clue.

is that all? ???? 

[vogie]

My wife made me laugh last night, she is the mayors secretary and at the moment they are out canvassing for the up and coming elections. Yesterday they were putting up posters of the mayor and when she came in I said "can I vote for the mayor" she said "no, you foreigner.

[WineOh]

Just now, vogie said:

My wife made me laugh last night, she is the mayors secretary and at the moment they are out canvassing for the up and coming elections. Yesterday they were putting up posters of the mayor and when she came in I said "can I vote for the mayor" she said "no, you foreigner.

The mayor of where?

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Did you drop the "T" by any chance, suprised you dont here that all the time ????????????????

 

(Only joking and if that hits your "sensitive" button I will delete it, couldnt resist.)

I was going to say that, but was worried I would be reprimanded by the Moderators!

[vogie]

4 minutes ago, WineOh said:

The mayor of where?

Why?

[tifino]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

To me being labeled a Farang by people as I enter stores or walk down side sois and when in crowds where they grab their partner and say Farang as I walk by is like being given the red carpet treatment.  Do you ever hear the Thais tell their wives or children to move over when another Thai walks by or needs by, I never have.  Makes me feel special while at the same time denigrated.  Hmmm a conundrum it seems.

the Elephant man effect...

[ThailandRyan]

I was elected King by my kids, and given my own private throne room with a Bidet.  Wish everyone could be the King of their own castle, albeit once out the front door it all goes to feces and King Ryan is now just Farang......

Edited February 14, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, tifino said:

the Elephant man effect...

[tifino]

go be a Monk for 3 months, and they are forced to respectfully call you Phra...whatever

[ThailandRyan]

1 minute ago, tifino said:

go be a Monk for 3 months, and they are forced to respectfully call you Phra...whatever

Spent 10 days as a monk in Chalong, Phuket back in 2010.  It was an experience to say the least, shaved head, shaved eyebrows, and my knees hurt from sitting the way they do.

[tifino]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

3 minutes ago, tifino said:

the Elephant man effect...

well it's about as close one can get to summing it up... 

 - or have we actually finally decrypted their herdal minds??  

 

[Moonlover]

Does it bother you being labelled as a "Farang" when in the company of Thais?

 

No, why should it? Would it bother them if I was to say that they are Asian?

[WaveHunter]

I take it as a pretty neutral label personally.  When I lived in Costa Rica, the label there for a American was "gringo".  No big deal.  Both words, on their own,  are not loaded with intent to harm the way the "N" word is, for instance.  It really depends more on the attitude of the person using it, than the term itself, and usually if there is a negative connotation with how the term is used, there's a lot more to object to about that person than just the fact they refer to me as a Farang.   it's a neutral label and certainly not a negative one when used on its own.

 

Edited February 14, 2021 by WaveHunter

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, tifino said:

well it's about as close one can get to summing it up... 

 - or have we actually finally decrypted their herdal minds??  

 

The nail you have hit on it's proverbial head, well done.  You have finally drilled down to the main subject itself.

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

Does it bother you being labelled as a "Farang" when in the company of Thais?

 

No, why should it? Would it bother them if I was to say that they are Asian?

If you called them Asian, would you be considered xenophobic or a racist, or just confrontational.  Just a question not an insult.