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

[TropicalGuy]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Again... flawed argument.

 

The discounts for the old and students apply to the old and students of any nationality - all you have to do is prove your age / prove you are a student. 

 

IF The discounts for the old in the west (chose any) applied to the old of only the host nationality, that would be dual pricing and wholly disagreeable - but it doesn’t happen, it applies to the old of any nationality. 

 

IF The discounts for students in the west (chose any) applied to the students of only the host nationality, that again would be dual pricing and wholly disagreeable - but it doesn’t happen, they apply to students of any nationality. 

 

--------

 

And... ‘some’ hotels do exercise dual pricing - I just cancelled a Test&Go package with Grande Centre point T21 because they dual charge foreigners more. 

 

I’ve also walked out of restaurants and other hotels for their dual pricing policy. 

 

Recently I was on holiday with a group of Thai’s (other Thai parents from my Son’s school).

We took a trip to an Island which was part of a national park - I saw national park guys there but they seemed relaxed and didn’t bother me. 

 

I didn’t think anything of it, until that evening when my Wife told me that one of the other Thai guys paid for me, he was so embarrassed that the park officers wanted to charge me 400 Baht and the Thai’s 40 Baht. 

 

 

 

 

 

Not flawed as any form of dual pricing/ concessions is discriminatory, which may or may not be justified. Issue can also be legally complex. Agree your solution not to tolerate , just walk away. 

[Doctor Tom]

2 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

Bird poo is actually worse than being just tight. It's not just cheapskate it's like calling someone dog poo tourist.

 

Rather rude.

Should reply, 'yep, and I still have more money than you will ever see in your whole life'.  Would tend to shut them up I imagine. 

[Hellfire]

I feel thankful to the Thais just for not beating me up every time they see me walking on their streets. They don’t even attack me when they meet me walking with one of their females. Words? Names? Semantics and double meanings? Well, leave me alone!

 

 

[Meat Pie 47]

I was never worried about it even some times it annoyed me but now back in the west with a multi cultural society (which I like) imagin I say to a dark colored person (hi <deleted>) or to an Asian (hello slope head) what do you think what will happen to me?

[Mac Mickmanus]

8 minutes ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

I was never worried about it even some times it annoyed me but now back in the west with a multi cultural society (which I like) imagin I say to a dark colored person (hi <deleted>) or to an Asian (hello slope head) what do you think what will happen to me?

The same thing that would happen if you called anyone derogatory names 

[NRGF]

I do know if you try to use your feet to move something or point to something when with Thai people somebody is almost certain to say ''muer farang''  the ''hand of a foreigner'' and generally said in a derogatory way.        

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 minute ago, NRGF said:

I do know if you try to use your feet to move something or point to something when with Thai people somebody is almost certain to say ''muer farang''  the ''hand of a foreigner'' and generally said in a derogatory way.        

No, I never use my feet to point to anything and I never use my feet to move things , that is the behavior  odf lazy people with no manners

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

22 minutes ago, NRGF said:

I do know if you try to use your feet to move something or point to something when with Thai people somebody is almost certain to say ''muer farang''  the ''hand of a foreigner'' and generally said in a derogatory way.        

No, I never use my feet to point to anything and I never use my feet to move things , that is the behavior  odf lazy people with no manners

Thats one I got caught out with in my early days. 

 

With a work colleague, my hands were full and I was pointing to something low down with my foot... something like “can you pick that pen up please”....    His reaction was huge, a massive show of overwhelming offence, a ridiculous over-reaction which I spotted at the time and called him out on it... 

...  I told him to stop being so rude and pass me the xxxxx’ing pen....  he changed his tune very quickly. 

 

Sometimes the reaction is far stronger than the innocent mistake made in the first place. 

 

--------

 

I do agree with the comments on this... Pointing with the feet is lazy. 

I also find pointing with the lips somewhat crass.

Additionally, ok to point at things, never at people. 

 

 

All of that said, I do find Thai’s very tolerant of the cultural and social faux-pas we make, and so they should be, we can’t all know and truly understand the foibles of Thai cultural and social rules.

 

But, sometimes rude people take the opportunity to fein faux outrage and over-react, those people themselves are also in breach of their own social and cultural rules, I have little time for anyone who acts up over reacts to things in a loud and obnoxious manner. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Myran]

Calm down, Don Quixote. In my many years in Thailand, I have never, ever met a foreigner offended by the word farang.

[TropicalGuy]

3 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

I can't believe that this boring, over debated subject has attracted over 600 posts.  Time to move on.  I suggest a new forum rule.  This subject can't be raised again by anyone for the next 5 years, on pain of immediate banishment . 

Agree. It’s a “nothing” non- issue here, involving a few hundred baht.

[Nkpjed]

On 4/21/2022 at 10:06 AM, rott said:

In my part of the central plain it is pronounced falang. 

As I stated in my post, it is pronounced that way by many Thais. But that doesn’t change the fact that the word has an “r” sound and not an “l” (the Thai word is “ฝรั่ง” not “ฝลั่ง”). So if you’re going to transliterate it, you should do it correctly.

[garyk]

 

Government - It's those dirty falang causing the problems..

Thai women - Falang falang pai nai, ma ma.. Falang, rok kun mak mak ,, Falang te nai kun debit card...

Falang - I am coming baby,  I love you too, My debit card is in my front pocket reach in and get it beautiful.

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

11 minutes ago, garyk said:

 

Government - It's those dirty falang causing the problems..

Thai women - Falang falang pai nai, ma ma.. Falang, rok kun mak mak ,, Falang te nai kun debit card...

Falang - I am coming baby,  I love you too, My debit card is in my front pocket reach in and get it beautiful.

 

What are you trying to say ?

[garyk]

Just now, Mac Mickmanus said:

What are you trying to say ?

I am not offended by Falang...

[Time Traveller]

10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Like Disneyworld in the USA?

I was charged 5,000 baht more at Royal Melbourne golf club than my Australian friend, just because I am a foreigner. This happens in all countries, geez.

Although I've never been there, I'm pretty sure that's a lie.   There is no way an Australian Golf club is charging different prices based on nationality.  Because it would be illegal. How would they even know your nationality anyway?  Did they ask to see evidence of your citizenship ?  

 Maybe you're confusing fees for members and non-members

 

[Time Traveller]

 

9 hours ago, ozimoron said:

Nobody said the whites are to blame. What is true is that the white outrage machine is doing most of the complaining. The racist epithets which Asians are called in Australia, the UK and the US, at least, are terrible. The word farang is very mild by comparison and most dispute that it is even disparaging.

How do you know that it's  "very mild by comparison" ?

I'm guessing you have no idea and you're only basing an opinion off the "outrage" of other people. When I think about all the different racial slang words, theres nothing really "terrible" in the words themselves.   Only the way people react to it.

That's not a justification for using those words, I'm just saying the minute you start classifying anyone based on race, then you're being racist.  That's the truth

[Time Traveller]

13 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

We're falling into the rabbit hole here.

 

My son is clearly Asian American, he ticks that box on the census.

I'm Hispanic American, proudly so and since we're soon to be the majority, get over it whities.

 

....oops that's got to be derogatory too

If he's really your son, wouldn't he be an Asian Hispanic American? In which case he is ticking the wrong box

[GinBoy2]

9 minutes ago, Time Traveller said:

If he's really your son, wouldn't he be an Asian Hispanic American?

Well I'll add that in too.

 

Definitely mine, a dashingly handsome 24 year old version of me. With a dash of Asian of course lol

 

[ozimoron]

4 hours ago, Time Traveller said:

 

How do you know that it's  "very mild by comparison" ?

I'm guessing you have no idea and you're only basing an opinion off the "outrage" of other people. When I think about all the different racial slang words, theres nothing really "terrible" in the words themselves.   Only the way people react to it.

That's not a justification for using those words, I'm just saying the minute you start classifying anyone based on race, then you're being racist.  That's the truth

Why do you think I have no idea? Because you are outraged by the use of a term that's been in the actual Thai dictionary for 2 centuries? A quick reading of my posts should not leave you with the impression that'M racist, including the post you referenced.

[jacko45k]

22 hours ago, transam said:

So if a Brit cop is chasing a crim and sends a radio message that he is in pursuit of an Asian male etc, then you reckon that is racist....?

Well it is certainly a race!

[Captain Monday]

10 hours ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

I was never worried about it even some times it annoyed me but now back in the west with a multi cultural society (which I like) imagin I say to a dark colored person (hi <deleted>) or to an Asian (hello slope head) what do you think what will happen to me?

You are illuminating a false equivalency between Thailand and western societies where diversity, equity and inclusion are an "ideal" or goal. Imagine a restaurant in San Francisco. The hostess says to the waitress "we have a reservation for four Asian-Foreigners go sit them over there and don't forget the foreigner menu we charge them more" People would be outraged.

 

I don't mind it but it depends on the tone and Thais should be saying khun farang or lung farang that would be polite. Black people in 'murica  use  n-word amongst themselves or in their music but that is in a solidarity that reclaims and redefines the slur. There used to  a print travel magazine sold in Thailand called FARANG I do not remember any complaints.

 

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, Myran said:

Calm down, Don Quixote. In my many years in Thailand, I have never, ever met a foreigner offended by the word farang.

Old hands have long let it pass. As they usually understand it all.

It's the not very knowledgeable and unacclimated newcomers that tend to make issues of whimsy. 

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

You are making a false equivalency between Thailand and western societies where diversity, equity and inclusion are an "ideal" or goal. Imagine a restaurant in San Francisco. The hostess says to the waitress "we have a reservation for four Asian-Foreigners go sit them over there and don't forget the foreigner menu we charge them more" People would be outraged.

You're also making a false equivalency in racial slurs.

'farang' and 'Asian-foreigner' are in no way equivalents.

But I'm not going to post the equivalent slur for Thais as I don't want to be banned from the forum.

 

I would have no problem with anyone calling me the 'Brit man', but I strenuously object to any terms grouping me with the French or the Germans.

[Captain Monday]

 I understand farang is a "white westerner". Not Japanese, Koreans, or Russians. Even asian-Americans or African Americans  are not considered farangs as been explained to me.

 

I have never been offended but it is funny to walk into a completely normal place like Home Pro and be surrounded by groups of helpful staff saying "farang" multiple times in 2 minutes.  Almost like "show passport" heard a dozen times a day

[ThailandRyan]

30 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

You are illuminating a false equivalency between Thailand and western societies where diversity, equity and inclusion are an "ideal" or goal. Imagine a restaurant in San Francisco. The hostess says to the waitress "we have a reservation for four Asian-Foreigners go sit them over there and don't forget the foreigner menu we charge them more" People would be outraged.

 

I don't mind it but it depends on the tone and Thais should be saying khun farang or lung farang that would be polite. Black people in 'murica  use  n-word amongst themselves or in their music but that is in a solidarity that reclaims and redefines the slur. There used to  a print travel magazine sold in Thailand called FARANG I do not remember any complaints.

 

Not so much a false equivalency as you say but because of laws and such one would violate the PC norms, where here in Thailand there is none except for Defamation or the lese majeste laws if you were to irritate someone with comments, that although they may be true, would find one here in hot water.

[Captain Monday]

I only post glowing reviews of cheap vegetarian food stalls on TripAdvisor because.

[Doctor Tom]

9 hours ago, Nkpjed said:

As I stated in my post, it is pronounced that way by many Thais. But that doesn’t change the fact that the word has an “r” sound and not an “l” (the Thai word is “ฝรั่ง” not “ฝลั่ง”). So if you’re going to transliterate it, you should do it correctly.

is there a 'I couldn't care less' emoji? 

[Nkpjed]

On 4/21/2022 at 10:47 AM, KanchanaburiGuy said:

Given that there's no "official" transliteration from Thai to English, it seems odd that you keep insisting that one that's different from the one YOU accept......... is "wrong." 

 

In the absence of anything "official," one phonetic interpretation is as good as any other........ as long as it accurately reflects its source. 

 

My wife and her circle of friends......... all born and raised in Kanchanaburi, all well over 50, and most having been teachers and "directors"............ say "falang."

 

That accurately represents what I hear when they use the word.

 

If I wish to write something that will accurately convey what someone would hear if they heard my wife speaking.......... I'd have to write "falang." And isn't that better than writing "farang".......... and then having to explain why what I said she say........ and what she actually says......... are the same thing, but different? ????????????

 

(They also say "alloy" for "arroy!" And since I want to be understood by my wife and her friends...... I do too! 555)

 

Cheers! 

I completely agree with you. I have no issue with Thais who substitute “r” sounds with “l”. It’s ingrained in the culture. 
 

The situation you described for yourself is also normal. You want to blend in.

 

what annoys me is when someone on this forum without the context of the situation you’ve described uses falang instead of farang. It tells me they either have no clue about the Thai language and have no desire to learn, they’re just trying to be cute, or both. 
 

But as an Isaan resident I have no issue with what you’ve described. I often do it myself.

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, Time Traveller said:

Although I've never been there, I'm pretty sure that's a lie.   There is no way an Australian Golf club is charging different prices based on nationality.  Because it would be illegal. How would they even know your nationality anyway?  Did they ask to see evidence of your citizenship ?  

 Maybe you're confusing fees for members and non-members

 

Yes, they asked to see proof of citizenship. 

[Nkpjed]

7 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

is there a 'I couldn't care less' emoji? 

Is there a an ‘I couldn’t care less’ emoji?  There, I fixed it for you.