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

[Gecko123]

You think if a white guy and a black woman go into a travel agency to reserve passage on the ferry to Koh Chang, and the travel agent has to call down to the dock to see if space is available, he's going to say I have a 'farang' and a 'puu ying dam' who want to leave at 2:00 PM? Of course not. The travel agent's gonna say I have two farang who want to leave on the 2:00 boat. Duh.

 

A bus is loaded with foreigners: 10 Caucasians, 10 Indians, 10 Arabs, five Nigerians, and five Mexicans. How is the bus driver going to describe the passengers as a group? He's going to say the bus is filled with foreigners, i.e. 'tem gap farang.' (and don't tell me he's going to use "khon taang chaat" because not too many bus drivers talk like that.

 

These people that keep insisting that 'farang' is exclusively used to describe white people either (a) can't speak Thai, (b) have never been around any non-whites in Thailand, or (c) both (a) and (b). Ask any non-white foreigner you encounter in Thailand if they are ever referred to as 'farang" in Thailand, and I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts they have.

Edited April 21, 2022 by Gecko123

[transam]

2 minutes 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?

From reading some posts above, I think it would be...."Sir"...????

[JeffersLos]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Know your pejoratives.

I'd rather know what pejoratives means. 

[jesimps]

Sounds to me like the OP is offended by the fact that he thinks foreigners should be offended, but aren't. I'd also like to know what offensive name Thais are known by in the US other than Thais or Asian. Just another non-farang trying to cause racial strife. 

[Excel]

1 minute ago, JeffersLos said:

I'd rather know what pejoratives means. 

Its even better to understand in what context it should be used , which seems to the issue sometimes. ????

[BangkokReady]

4 minutes 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?

Did you seriously read all the comments here and still think that it's the word and not the way it is used that is the problem?

 

Comment after comment says that it isn't the word that is the problem but the way it is used, the context, then other users come along and say "Oh my God!  How can you be offended by a word?!!!  It's the word that means foreigner!!!  What's wrong with that?!!!".

 

Your comment is meaningless, same as @transam's.  ????‍♂️

[ozimoron]

Just now, BangkokReady said:

Did you seriously read all the comments here and still think that it's the word and not the way it is used that is the problem?

 

Comment after comment says that it isn't the word that is the problem but the way it is used, the context, then other users come along and say "Oh my God!  How can you be offended by a word?!!!  It's the word that means foreigner!!!  What's wrong with that?!!!".

 

Your comment is meaningless, same as @transam's.  ????‍♂️

lol. Every nation has people inclined to refer to foreigners in non complimentary ways. Racial prejudice is rife in every country. Get over it.

[BangkokReady]

5 minutes ago, jesimps said:

Sounds to me like the OP is offended by the fact that he thinks foreigners should be offended, but aren't. I'd also like to know what offensive name Thais are known by in the US other than Thais or Asian. Just another non-farang trying to cause racial strife. 

OP is annoyed because he experienced racism in a Western country and wants foreign people to experience racism in Thailand.

[Excel]

1 minute ago, BangkokReady said:

Did you seriously read all the comments here and still think that it's the word and not the way it is used that is the problem?

 

Comment after comment says that it isn't the word that is the problem but the way it is used, the context, then other users come along and say "Oh my God!  How can you be offended by a word?!!!  It's the word that means foreigner!!!  What's wrong with that?!!!".

 

Your comment is meaningless, same as @transam's.  ????‍♂️

!00% agree and glad you mentioned the "context" as some others on here, by their responses, clearly indicate they have little understanding of it.

[Neeranam]

24 minutes ago, candide said:

You are right. Probably dating from the Narai reign in the 17th century.

 

https://books.google.co.th/books?id=HzTHaIEduwYC&pg=PA63&lpg=PA63&dq=origin+of+name+farang+farangse&source=bl&ots=pvKnqxAt48&sig=ACfU3U378TF2OwGWpZoaJu4bWi_OIwQH5g&hl=fr&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjtmLewvqT3AhUnzDgGHZkLDjAQ6AF6BAhBEAI#v=onepage&q=origin of name farang farangse&f=false

 

So no reason to feel offended to be called farang! ????

France's name came from the Franks, as farang did. 

Anyway the Portuguese were here first, so why are we not called Portugue? 

[transam]

2 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Did you seriously read all the comments here and still think that it's the word and not the way it is used that is the problem?

 

Comment after comment says that it isn't the word that is the problem but the way it is used, the context, then other users come along and say "Oh my God!  How can you be offended by a word?!!!  It's the word that means foreigner!!!  What's wrong with that?!!!".

 

Your comment is meaningless, same as @transam's.  ????‍♂️

Well, it would be for foot stampers who probably get their knickers in a twist over anything.......????

[BangkokReady]

Just now, ozimoron said:

lol. Every nation has people inclined to refer to foreigners in non complimentary ways. Racial prejudice is rife in every country. Get over it.

I don't see how that relates to what I wrote.  I pointed out your mistake so you wanted to deflect?

[TheFishman1]

In Mexico they call  us gringo. TIT

[ozimoron]

I've been visiting Thailand since 1979 and can't recall ever having been referred to by a Thai using the word Farang as an insult.

[transam]

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

lol. Every nation has people inclined to refer to foreigners in non complimentary ways. Racial prejudice is rife in every country. Get over it.

Yep, I get called a Brit, yet I am English.....????..............????

[davidmann]

4 hours 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

every body got name for everybody.  ,Germans used to call Brits Tomes. ,Brit used used call the germans Fritz.  ,  used to be lot worst in the past. ,i can go on and on 

[Excel]

Just now, transam said:

Yep, I get called a Brit, yet I am English.....????..............????

Look on the bright side, they could have called you a Scot. or a Taff????

[BangkokReady]

1 minute ago, transam said:

Well, it would be for foot stampers who probably get their knickers in a twist over anything.......????

And for incredibly cerebral logical thinkers who present considered and concise comments based on facts and not emotions. ????

[ozimoron]

2 minutes ago, transam said:

Yep, I get called a Brit, yet I am English.....????..............????

In oz you'd be called a Pom everywhere you went.

[Iamfalang]

9 minutes ago, JeffersLos said:

I'd rather know what pejoratives means. 

What are you doing, posting online ?  Posting online?  Omg, posting online…..soo 2015

 

posting online is pejorative .   Not positive.  Lol.  Oh, it’s negative.    Low opinion.  Lack of respect.   I’d never post online!

[transam]

Just now, Excel said:

Look on the bright side, they could have called you a Scot. or a Taff????

Not with my accent......????

[Berkshire]

6 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Did you seriously read all the comments here and still think that it's the word and not the way it is used that is the problem?

 

Comment after comment says that it isn't the word that is the problem but the way it is used, the context, then other users come along and say "Oh my God!  How can you be offended by a word?!!!  It's the word that means foreigner!!!  What's wrong with that?!!!".

 

Your comment is meaningless, same as @transam's.  ????‍♂️

By your definition, almost any word can be derogatory if used in certain context.  If I was to say "that f*king American <deleted>!," that can be offensive, yes?  Does that mean the word "American" is offensive?  Of course not.  Same with the word farang.

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, BangkokReady said:

OP is annoyed because he experienced racism in a Western country and wants foreign people to experience racism in Thailand.

They are the ones who should understand. 

However, some of these middle classed Thais, especially the Chinese ones are the ones that want to keep us down. 

Rather ironic as they came here mostly a couple of generations ago. 

We will never integrate as well as the Chinese. 

[starky]

38 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Lame and completely inaccurate argument.  And you know it.  The terms spick and chink are derogatory terms in the English language.  Farang is not in the Thai language.  Do you have to have everything explained to you?

Chink? 

Slope?

No they are English words that foreigners have no right complaining about. I need nothing explained to me. You said that foreigners have no right complaining about words not of their native tongue. See the point  you don't understand is you don't get to tell people what they find offensive.

 Im saying context, speech and inflection matter and sometimes the word falang is used pejoratively. Not hard to understand. I dont find it offensive in a general sense but others do. 

But as you seem to be one of those frustrated warriors who is never wrong and your interpretation of the world is the only one i will let you have the last word as you wont be able to help yourself. Cheers.

Edited April 21, 2022 by starky

[BangkokReady]

3 minutes ago, davidmann said:

i can go on and on

Please do...

[transam]

1 minute ago, BangkokReady said:

And for incredibly cerebral logical thinkers who present considered and concise comments based on facts and not emotions. ????

Not in your case, though...... ????

[ozimoron]

The problem here is a generalised sense of racial superiority felt by most of those who gratuitously bash Thais and Thailand.

Edited April 21, 2022 by ozimoron

[Excel]

Just now, transam said:

Not with my accent......????

Yeh byt perhaps wearing a skirt and having a pet sheep could be a give-away perhaps ????  Not that were you come from would entertain such weird behaviour, just saying ????

[Neeranam]

5 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

In Mexico they call  us gringo. TIT

My Mexican students tell me they never call their US bosses gringo, only to each other. 

My Thai students don't call their farang boss, farang. It's a respect thing. 

If Thais call you farang to your face, they have no respect for you. 

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Does that mean the word "American" is offensive?

I teach Latin Americans and many of them are offended when I call people from the US Americans.