1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

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

Do elaborate.

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

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. 

This is getting worrying, I agree with you for the second time today. You are right about the Chinese Thais.

1 minute ago, Excel said:

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 ????

You may have Excel, but you do not have a spell/grammar checker....????

I never do! I fully understand Thais calling us Farangs, they don't have a clue as to where anyone is from accept for a few countries so they lump sum everyone in one basket.  ????

 

Same when I buy something they have to get a calculator to figure out my change for 2-1=1????

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

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

I would think the only people offended by being called an American are Canadians....555

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

The word farang isn't pejorative.

Except sometimes when it is.

Just now, transam said:

You may have Excel, but you do not have a spell/grammar checker....????

 Grammer police are exclude from this forum but the point of language is to communicate which my post clearly did irrespective of whether it was written in Oxford English spelling or Medieval English text.

2 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

By your definition, almost any word can be derogatory if used in certain context.

Well, yes and no.  What you're not getting is the context in terms of what is happening and how the word sits in terms of cultural and historical values.  If we look at the N word, we can see that it doesn't need that much context for it to be offensive, yet some Black people use it as a word to address each other.

 

I don't want to rewrite everything I have written so far, but think about how the N word is used to be offensive, that is how it is when a Thai person uses the word farang in an offensive way, when they use it in a non-offensive way, it's more like how Black people use it in a non-offensive way.  Due to attitudes to foreign people in Thailand.

 

Have a think about that, or go and look at my/the previous comments in this thread.  You should be able to get it.

 

2 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

  If I was to say "that f*king American <deleted>!," that can be offensive, yes?

The sentence would be offensive, but it doesn't make the word "American" offensive, no.

 

You don't seem to understand what context can mean.  There is semantic context, as in your example, but there is historical context, cultural context, intonation, body language, and so on, that change the meaning of a word or the implication of its use.

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5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

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. 

Yes and when explained clearly to my families and Thai friends here over the years here they understand totally and hence show that respect. Thais are not the numbnuts many people like to project but tend to be extremely respectful people, well at least the ordinary folk are, so it is a simple matter of explanation and understanding. 

13 minutes ago, transam said:

Not in your case, though...... ????

Your judgment in this matter has thus far proven to be poor at best so I respectfully disagree. ????

4 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Farangses is Thai for France.

Correct. Same as ภาษาฝรั่งเศส means French (language)

What a load of cobblers gets posted in these Thai Visa threads.

I've been here 22 years and never felt or known anyone to be offended by it.  I'm not even offended when the Krauts call me Inselaffe, their pet word for the Brits.

If one wants to hear frequently used offensive words about a non-ethic people, just go to the UK or the US.

It seems to me that some expats in Thailand deliberately look for things to complain about or feel offended by.

7 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

You don't seem to understand what context can mean.  There is semantic context, as in your example, but there is historical context, cultural context, intonation, body language, and so on, that change the meaning of a word or the implication of its use.

Perhaps it is you who doesn't understand the cultural and historical context of certain words.  In the US, the words "colored" and "Negro" didn't used to be offensive, but is now (or certainly outdated).  It's because of the horrific racism that African-Americans suffered back in the day.

 

So if you want to consider the historical and cultural context of the word farang, what is that exactly?  That farangs used to denote wealth and privilege?  Has there been historical discrimination against farangs in Thailand?  I think not.  So the only negative connotations that may be associated with that word is pretty much what certain farangs manage to think up.  The Thais certainly don't have any.

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

It doesn't worry me when they call me a Farang  as long as they charge us all the same price for things. Also Farang means we are from a different country yet you never hear them call a Asian from a different country a Farang, they call them brother.

my 6 yr old niece was in the pool a couple of days ago and saw me w/o a shirt. she looked a bit puzzled and asked why my skin was so white.

 

i told her I am farang. 

 

i am just happy when they dont start screaming FREE WILLY !!

There are some people in this world who get offended by anything. I can only assume they have very sad lives.

45 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

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

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

I don't know. That's what the author stated. It could be that the Portuguese presence was not as intense. Did they call Portuguese farangs at that time?

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8 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

So if you want to consider the historical and cultural context of the word farang, what is that exactly?  That farangs used to denote wealth and privilege?  Has there been historical discrimination against farangs in Thailand?  I think not.

If you have no knowledge or experience of the negative attitudes that many Thais have towards foreigners that would inform the historical and cultural context of the word farang (or choose to ignore it), who am I to dispel your illusions?  ????‍♂️

 

8 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

So the only negative connotations that may be associated with that word is pretty much what certain farangs manage to think up. 

I, and many other foreigners, would disagree with this.

 

8 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

The Thais certainly don't have any.

They do.

I find the American term "Alien" more offensive ???? - like Im about to jump out of Tom Skerritt's stomach!

The word "Farang" comes from the Thai words for French people "Khon Farangset",

as France was some of the first western countries to do visit and do business with Thailand back in the days.

Since Thai people couldn´t see the difference between different western nationalities, they started to use the word "Farang" for all westerners!

If a Thai doesn´t know what country a western foreigner comes from they will use the word "Farang",

but once they know you and what country you come from they will usually call you by your countryname, in my case "Khon Saweeden" Swedish.

Indians and Arabs are usually refered to as "Khaek" which means guests.

 

 

17 minutes ago, candide said:

I don't know. That's what the author stated. It could be that the Portuguese presence was not as intense. Did they call Portuguese farangs at that time?

Good question. 

 

1 hour 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?

The Filipinos do quite well using 'sir' or 'boss'.

I'd be OK with Thais calling me 'sir', 'mr', 'boss' ...... maybe even 'massa' or 'Brit man'.

Nonsense> Been here for years and know of know one upset at farang.. When I go shopping it is common to see some kid look at me like i am, from mars .never saw farang before .I give a big smile point to myself and say farang. The mothers always laugh.

I find it extremely offensive.

Would all the Thais like it if we called them farang in our home countries?

We have names and mine isn't Farang Corleone !!

It is my understanding that the actual word " Farang " is Thai for white Fruit

To be consumed and eaten

When spoken with a tone of aggression, then yes, its offensive

 

5 minutes ago, plahgat said:

Indians and Arabs are usually refered to as "Khaek" which means guests.

Not true, these words are homonyms. 

I've been in situations where "kaek" is used and most definitely doesn't mean guest. 

There is a Thai saying, "if you see a kaek and a snake first, kill the kaek" 

 

Kaek are actually one level lower than farang on the hierarchical scale. 

How can you be offended with this, if even ministers use more detailed descriptions for "farang" which read "dirty" and "alien"?

The same society calls un-white skinned "khaek" or even "neegloh" (good luck with tourism promotion in the Middle East and Southasia), the slit-eyed brethren in the North are known as "jek" (equally unliked by Khon Thai) and so on and so fort.

There are even differences within their own country, namely three-quarter-divine Bangkokians, the semi-divine Northerners (guess Chiang Mai?) and then the rest upon they can look down to; the   quarter-divine crowd - except the Southerners. The latter are called "moosleem" and - by lack of education - are of course not of noble Thai breed but rather "moosleem". 

It has to do with education; it's written in the bible "forgive them for they do not know what they are doing". Should one get excited over it - certainly not ???? 

Question: If black people can be offended over the ni word that they use dozens of times a day (and which Spotify hasn't banned, even after the Joe Rogan n-word brouhaha), then why can't foreigners in Thailand be offended by the 6-letter f-word?

Farang? Doesn't bother me.

 

However, when I first came to Thailand I was generally referred to as "hansum man" whenever I walked past the bars or massage places. Nowadays it's "Papa"! Now that p!sses me off much more!