By Cod Satrusayang

 

Why are foreigners so offended when Thais call them farang? Is it really that offensive of a word when it doesn’t really have any negative connotation and is just a label for a group of people.

 

Or is there negative connotation? It certainly doesn’t in its etymology, at least not the way more racially charged words (invented and used mostly by farangs) does like the N word. Farang, according to linguists, is just a Thai transliteration of Franks. And while Franks has become disused in modern lexicon, one can see the word farang traced back to the first Western Europeans to visit Thailand.

 

So what’s all the fuss over labeling? Is it because Europeans and North Americans are so individualistic that they cannot bear being grouped into one catch-all phrase? Well if you’ve ever spent much time in the United States and you’re from Asia (less so in Europe admittedly), be prepared to be grouped much more offensively than Thais calling westerners Farang.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/39545/why-are-westerners-so-offended-over-the-word-farang-get-over-it/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-04-21

 

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Who's offended?

 

No one I know.

 

Should I be?

 

Time for a poll? Simple, up or down.

 

 

I'm more offended by someone telling me I shouldn't be offended by something that might offend me!

Nope, not at all offended.

 

It does seem to be a requirement today though to be offended by race, color, creed etc.

Deprnds entirely on the tone and context like most use of language.

 

 

being called a farang doesnt bother me at all but the way it is said by some can be very agressive and demeaning, its all in the way it is used, not the word itself

I have no problem with the word Farang.

 

As long as I am also allowed to use similar words to classify other broad racial groups/ethnicities then I'm all good. Fair's fair.

It makes the locals smile when I meet up for a coffee with a mate and when he walks in I say " Sawasdee khap ferlung ".

2 minutes ago, seajae said:

being called a farang doesnt bother me at all but the way it is said by some can be very agressive and demeaning, its all in the way it is used, not the word itself

Exactly. I remember a Phuket taxi driver yelling at me "Hey, Farang" pretty aggressively as I walked past him to get my attention. I shouted back "Hey, Asian" with a similar tone and he didn't like it at all. So much so that had he had his mates with him I reckon he'd have attacked me. 

 

When Thai friends use it nicely/jokingly I don't mind at all.

I only find it offensive when I see a Thai mother tell her child who is acting up that if they dont stop the Farang kin deknoi.  Irresponsible behavior.  

From what I understand, and I may be wrong, Farang means all Foreigners regardless of race, creed, color, religion, etc.   So why be offended?  It's a word for everyone.  I'd rather be called a Farang than a Foreigner or Alien.  But, as others have  mentioned above, it's the way it is said, the tone.  

Impossible to offend me with words.

 

To think I would be that stupid, is offensive ... ????

Just a few days ago a nasty thai lottery vendor refused to sell me lottery tickets and said farang in a derogatory manner to me. 

I have no problem being called "farang" when the people dont know my name or who I am. I did have an issue with my wife's family calling me "farang"  when they knew eaxtcly who I was. Especially when they were referring to me directly, like asking my wife if I want to eat. (Is the farang hungry?)

 

I explained to my wife that I is the equivalent of my parents calling you "the thai girl" when they talk to me about our life. (We travel between Aus and thailand a lot)

 

So I i think It depends on the situation and the relationship.

Personally I find it offensive.

 

I mean... when we meet Thais we do the effort to try and remember each one of their names and their nicknames as well, we call them Pong, Thong, Mei, May, Thip, Kang, Khung and whatever else, etc, etc, we never call them "thai" or "bargirl #1 bargirl #2 bargirl #42 bargirl #69" or "issan ma", do we?

Yet they can't be bothered doing it the reprocical way? They're not even trying.

My name is Jim, Bob, Tom, Rick, Paul, whatever, my name is not "customer" or "monger" or "sponsor #1 sponsor #2 sponsor #3" or in this case... "farang" is it?

 

To hell with them!

Know your pejoratives.

 

Clue: The word farang isn't pejorative.

2 minutes ago, Mickc said:

I explained to my wife that I is the equivalent of my parents calling you "the thai girl" when they talk to me about our life.

There, nailed it.

 

It's not the word "farang" itself that is offensive, it's the fact they are not even trying to remember our names or trying to do any efforts, that I find offensive.

 

Not offensive, my interactions with people are such it is said in an affectionate way.   

You are falang.  Not your country!  No rights.  Dirty.  Scary.  Dangerous.  Rich.  Sexpat.  Pedo.  
 

falang.   Hahahahahahahaha.     Never trust falang.    He speak ABC.   Lol

7 minutes ago, LiamB80 said:

Just a few days ago a nasty thai lottery vendor refused to sell me lottery tickets and said farang in a derogatory manner to me. 

I know this is hard to believe, but some people are just nasty.  And some Thais just don't like "farangs" even though we are loveable and likeable people. ????

8 minutes ago, LiamB80 said:

Just a few days ago a nasty thai lottery vendor refused to sell me lottery tickets and said farang in a derogatory manner to me. 

And no doubt the seventeen other lottery sellers within 5 minutes would have greeted you with a smile and a "Sawatdee", sold you the tickets , smiled again and wished you luck.

 

I find life is a bit like that.

This old chestnut again. To be honest, ive really got bigger things to worry about, i really couldnt care less.

It means foreigner, which i am. Not in the least offended.

2 minutes ago, Henryford said:

It means foreigner, which i am. Not in the least offended.

It doesn't actually, it means 'whitey'. 

Wait, I though falang meant "hey handsum man".  I need to learn a few basic thai words ????

I might be wrong but I believe it is historically based when the French were in Lao and Cambodia. Farangses. French.

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

Why are foreigners so offended when Thais call them farang? Is it really that offensive of a word when it doesn’t really have any negative connotation and is just a label for a group of people.

I was always taught Thai language insists the correct honorific should be added before addressing another human being. Something not required if addressing or calling a dog.

 

So in Thai language calling a person 'farang' would be rude.

But calling a person 'khun farang', 'lung farang', 'pee farang', etc would be polite.

 

When a Thai person calls me 'farang', by the rules of their own culture, they are being rude. And I treat them as such.

 

When a non-Thai calls me 'farang', they are being stupid, as I speak English, and they usually speak English too.

1 minute ago, dinsdale said:

I might be wrong but I believe it is historically based when the French were in Lao and Cambodia. Farangses. French.

No, it's Persian. 

 

26 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Exactly. I remember a Phuket taxi driver yelling at me "Hey, Farang" pretty aggressively as I walked past him to get my attention. I shouted back "Hey, Asian" with a similar tone and he didn't like it at all. So much so that had he had his mates with him I reckon he'd have attacked me. 

 

When Thai friends use it nicely/jokingly I don't mind at all.

Be very careful who you choose to (jokingly) abuse over here.

They will have access to a gun.

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

No, it's Persian. 

 

Farangses is Thai for France.