Why Do Some Foreigners in Thailand Still Call Other Foreigners “Farang” and is it Cringe?

[carlyai]

5 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Some Foreigners here are ignorant, poorly educated. 

 

Yes they are.

[Scottie12]

The ones that p--s me off are the 'Ooh,look at me,I've been here a long time' who say falang.

[JJ-Thailand]

A white foreigner in Thailand calls another white foreigner for "Farang" is the same as when a black US guy call another black US guy for "Ni***r".

[newbee2022]

24 minutes ago, carlyai said:

It's because these people haven't lived in Thailand for over 30 years and never learnt to speak Thai and never lived in other parts of Thailand except Falang parts. 🙂

It's only an insult if you say ' look at that f....ing Farang'.

In modern Thailand, the Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race". The term is also blended into everyday terms meaning "of/from the white race".

(Google)

So this term is only referring to Whites but not to all foreigners❗

[carlyai]

13 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

In modern Thailand, the Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race". The term is also blended into everyday terms meaning "of/from the white race".

(Google)

So this term is only referring to Whites but not to all foreigners❗

Well that's not how I use the word. I use it to mean me and most foreigners.

 

[Bday Prang]

19 minutes ago, JJ-Thailand said:

A white foreigner in Thailand calls another white foreigner for "Farang" is the same as when a black US guy call another black US guy for "Ni***r".

Don't be ridiculous

[Andycoops]

The term farang has been absorbed into the colloquial language used by many farangs who have lived here along time.

 

It just part of everyday speech, there is nothing pretentious or otherwise about it.

[newbee2022]

9 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Well that's not how I use the word. I use it to mean me and most foreigners.

 

So there is a discrepancy. I prefer to use it according to the Thai meaning.

(Chinese are foreigners too in Thailand but not called farangs) I mentioned the Explaination from Google 

[WDSmart]

I use the terms "expat" or "foreigners" when talking with other Farangs. I use the term "Farang" to designate expats or foreigners when talking with Thais.

[seajae]

while I dont refer to us as farangs when talking  I do use farang when writing as its what we are called by the locals, I dont take offence to it at all unless said with venom, its usually said in driendly spirits. Words do not always have negative feelings attached to them, I do not use farang as an insult and never would, I actually have several other words I can use if I wanted to insult someone, really think some people just have very thin skin if they take offence at slang, yes it can be said to be derogatory but mostly not.

[Gecko123]

3 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

In modern Thailand, the Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race". The term is also blended into everyday terms meaning "of/from the white race".

(Google)

So this term is only referring to Whites but not to all foreigners❗

You are confusing the etymological roots of the word with how it is colloquially used in present day Thailand. In present day Thailand "farang" is synonymous with Westerners, quite often irrespective of their race. As several posters have pointed out, people with black, south American, middle eastern ancestry routinely are included under the colloquial umbrella term of "farang." In addition, treating the Royal Institute Dictionary (or any dictionary) as the absolute be all to end all authority on usage is a mistake. These reference tools have definitional imprecisions which oftentimes go decades before they are updated or corrected. If you don't believe me that the term "farang" is routinely used in reference to non-whites, ask the next non-Caucasian you pass on the street whether they are ever referred to as "farang" in Thailand. I can guarantee you that the answer will be 'yes.'

[PB172111]

22 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

So you pick up old Spanish speaking ladies?

I can clearly see why you have your nickname 🤣🤣🤣

[Harrisfan]

2 minutes ago, PB172111 said:

I can clearly see why you have your nickname 🤣🤣🤣

What does that mean?

[carlyai]

3 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

So there is a discrepancy. I prefer to use it according to the Thai meaning.

(Chinese are foreigners too in Thailand but not called farangs) I mentioned the Explaination from Google 

Yeah that's why I said 'most'. I call Chinese Khun Cheen.