Why are westerners so offended over the word farang? Get over it.

[nitpicker]

I agree with the stated view here that it is the tone of voice that makes a difference but a particular experience showed me how entrenched in Thai attitude the word is. A grandfather on his motorbike and sidecar crossed two lanes of traffic to where I was standing in order to teach his young granddaughter what a farang is. The pointing that went with the little girl's 'education' was, surely by any standard, very rude.  Sorry but I'm unlikely to "get over it". 

 

[Sparktrader]

24 minutes ago, cheapcanuck said:

Faring, what's that?

Earring worn by farangs

[Sparktrader]

6 minutes ago, nitpicker said:

I agree with the stated view here that it is the tone of voice that makes a difference but a particular experience showed me how entrenched in Thai attitude the word is. A grandfather on his motorbike and sidecar crossed two lanes of traffic to where I was standing in order to teach his young granddaughter what a farang is. The pointing that went with the little girl's 'education' was, surely by any standard, very rude.  Sorry but I'm unlikely to "get over it". 

 

Racism is rife in Asia. Their TV shows don't denounce it though like the west.

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, KanchanaburiGuy said:

A note about Rs sounding like Ls............ from someone who's made an observation, but who has absolutely zero qualifications! (Me, of course!)................. 

 

Go ahead and make an R sound. Sound it out. But as you do, think about where your tongue is positioned............

 

When you make  R sound, your tongue will hang floating in the middle of your mouth.

 

Ruh Ruh Ruh Ruh

 

Now go ahead and make an L sound. Think about what your tongue does THEN! 

 

The tip of your tongue goes up to the roof of your mouth, doesn't it? Sure it does!

 

Luh Luh Luh Luh

 

But here's the thing........... 

 

Thai is a language that sometimes "trills" its Rs. "Farrrang!" So go ahead, trill the R a couple of times. 

 

Now.......... we KNOW that making an R sound NORMALLY leaves our tongue hanging in the middle. But what happens when you TRILL the R? 

 

That's right! To TRILL the R, you must put the tip of your tongue right up to the roof of your mouth........... the very same place the L sound comes from! (And very different from where the R sound NORMALLY comes from!) 

 

So......... is this why Thai people pronounce their Rs as Ls? Ah heck, I dunno!

 

But it's as good a guess as any I've heard! 

 

????????????

 

Cheers! 

 

 

thats exactly it... laziness... 

 

The very same reason many English do not pronounce our words correctly to the point its become regional accent....  wa-ahhh (water)... innit (isn’t it)...

 

 

 

[Meat Pie 47]

Well I am not really worried about it it was a bit of nuiseance all my time in Thailand now being back in the real world if I call an Asian person a slope head or call an dark skinned  person a <deleted> I am in trouble

[Enoon]

2 hours ago, grubman said:

I do carry a few extra pounds and i know that but it was the context in which the staff member said farang it in front of me to his colleague was what offened my

 

I dont care if people call me pom poi, because i do have a few extra pounds and i am what i am and i am comfortable in who i am so it is not just that comment, 

 

I assure you that the staff member was under the impression that i do not understand thai language and saying what he said in front of my was fine for him because he thought that i waould not know what was being said. 

You were right to feel offended.

 

You checked in, they saw your name, you should have been indicated to and referred to as "Mr" or "Khun" whoever.

 

Instead you were referred to as the "fat white foreigner".

 

That is uncouth disrespect at its worst..........and in the "hospitality" industry!

 

At the very least you should have been referred to as "the guest", or person/man/woman, at the front of the queue,  "wearing......."  whatever you were wearing.

 

 

 

[micmichd]

49 minutes ago, Enoon said:

You were right to feel offended.

 

You checked in, they saw your name, you should have been indicated to and referred to as "Mr" or "Khun" whoever.

 

Instead you were referred to as the "fat white foreigner".

 

That is uncouth disrespect at its worst..........and in the "hospitality" industry!

 

At the very least you should have been referred to as "the guest", or person/man/woman, at the front of the queue,  "wearing......."  whatever you were wearing.

 

 

 

I'm not fat, and in every hotel I lived I was referred to as Mr or Khun. Of course in the streets I don't carry a plate with my name on me, so it's oK for me to be referred as Farang if they talk about me. 

[bristolgeoff]

Like to know who is offended,every country has a name for foreigners.Some are worse than others,I think khmer is barang.

[DBath]

Doesn’t bother me to be called a farang or a cracker, because I’m comfortable in my own skin. Some races are not comfortable in their own skin and I guess I’m supposed to be okay with that. IMO, too many people take themselves way too seriously and do so in order to play the victim, it’s convenient for them. 

[Shocked farang]

Some years ago I was a student in a Thai language school in Chiang Mai. According to the explanation from the teacher the word "farang" (even though some Thais pronounce "falang") originally means guava, the fruit guava is very white and light, so this become a slang to designate white skin people of European descent. Do the Thai people here agree with this? 

[Levi Patterson]

I think most of us that have lived here for a while aren’t offended by being called farang. I’m a black American and spent my formative years and beyond in the Jim Crow South. Americans have labels and made up names for everyone—it seems to me. If you walk with a limp, some will call you “gimp”. I first came to Thailand in the mid-sixties (Vietnam era). Then, some Thais referred to me as dum dum (black) or ne-co (their transliteration for negro) and some called me farang. Personally, I’ve never been offended by any of these labels. Back in the mid-sixties, I was a military policeman, stationed in Korat. I recall returning to my living quarters on base, around midnight. I had been partying downtown and had to report to work at 4:00 AM. When I walked into the barracks, two airmen were involved in what appeared to be a serious altercation. I knew these two had been friends: one was of Irish descent and the other was of the Jewish faith. They had been calling each other by the so-called offensive labels  which was supposedly attributed to their ethnicity. I separated them and thought they had gone to sleep. I left for work around 3:00 AM. Later that day, I learned that the two had awakened and continued their name calling. One of them threw the other off the second story balcony which caused a near fatality. I was at work when the incident took place. However, ironically, I was called in on the carpet for not preventing these heretofore friends from trying to kill each other. For me, living in Thailand is humbling. I’m treated nicer here than in my own country. The offensive name calling thing seems to me as being primarily western. I don’t pay any attention to it.

[JimTripper]

5 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

People generally get the respect they earn and rarely the respect they demand.

Then say nothing. If you want to talk nonsense make sure I'm not around.

 

Just go away ????

[Boomer6969]

Could someone, preferably the OP, clarify the difference between difference between "Farang" and "Chink"? 

 

Please don't give the non sensical answer that one is a slur while the other isn't. Western self flagellation won't improve this world.

[jacko45k]

It seems somewhat irritating, that is why. I have a name and prefer that. I have Scots pals and I don't call them Jock, Irish ones, who only get called Paddy if that is their name... nor do I refer to Thai pals as dull witted xenophobe! 

Farang does not actually apply to all foreigners, 

[Andycoops]

Doesn't bother me in the slightest, in fact I use the word to describe myself and others who look like me.

White Anglo Saxon Caucasian male.

[Orinoco]

Don't care much, but if a family member calls me Falang, 

there be trouble at mill.

 

[mania]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

Why are foreigners so offended when Thais call them farang?

What is this an attempt at reverse psychology as an excuse for ignorance? 555

 

Truth is title should read

Why are some Thai's so lacking in common education to not know calling any race a name is racist?

Why are some Thai's so rude/ lacking in memory to not use a persons name if they knew it?

 

Lastly Thai's with their fragile ego/thin skin should be the last to ask why anyone is offended by anything ????

Thai men & women have been known to cut off partners body parts or worse if they feel offended by someone.

 

[BadSpottedDog]

We (jokingly) refer to ourselves as "those crazy farangs", so no. Not offended at all.

[JRG23]

The term farang is used in a discriminatory manner.

Of course, discrimination is rife in Thailand so it's part of everyday life.

But I like it when I am treated exactly the same as locals.

Not differently because of mt skin colour. Unfortunately, the term farang is discriminatory.  

[VocalNeal]

Just now, JRG23 said:

Unfortunately, the term farang is discriminatory.  

Doesn't it mean Guava?

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Doesn't it mean Guava?

If you are referred to s a man falang, they are calling you a potato!

[VocalNeal]

^ not a couch potato maybe a desk potato?

[spidermike007]

My wife tells me to her it means light skinned. I asked her how that applies to black foreigners. She said it doesn't. Huh? 

 

It is such a peculiar word. It does mean outsider. It does mean "not one of us". I do not care about "belonging". Never been an issue for me. Some friends of mine find it very offensive, and wonder why not expat, or foreigner? 

 

I don't particularly like it, but it takes alot to offend me, so that doesn't come close. Fortunately, my wife's family never uses it when talking about me. 

[ohpont]

During the Yuan Dinasty, Fulin or Falang was used to designate someone or something from papal state, or the country of fancy, si,si...

 

But then, Flang, more use in Lanna countries, I think,  is another story related more to the holy, or not so holy, cow.

 

Regards.

 

[Henryford]

22 hours ago, Neeranam said:

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

I am white as well, still not offended. What do they call a coloured foreigner then?

[Orinoco]

6 minutes ago, Henryford said:

I am white as well, still not offended. What do they call a coloured foreigner then?

Chocolate man,  

[TigerandDog]

12 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

The Thai word for guava is "farang". I'm afraid you have been misinformed.

you're the one that's misinformed. Go and do some research and then come back with an apology

[DGS1244]

What rubbish, I  have never been offended, heard a lot worse in other locations around the world.

[Joe Farang]

19 hours ago, ozimoron said:

Which Thai word would foreigners here prefer to be referred by as opposed to the one in general usage ever since farangs set foot on Thai soil?

Dak Ling.

I think it's cute the way they cannot pronounce the r

[NONG CHOK]

22 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Farangses is Thai for France.

Personally I coudn't give a rats a**e but if its somebody I know I just reply by calling them a jungle bunny. The Thais who know what that means can get rather stroppy.