Opinion Russian Teacher to Thais: Drop ‘Farang’ if 'Ni Hao' Offends

[MalcolmB]

12 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

 

Another mind reader. LOL ... whatever. Most of the monkeys on this board never learn Thai or the culture.

And complain endlessly

[fredwiggy]

1 minute ago, StandardIssue said:

Do you speak Thai well enough to say - rent and apartment? Well I do.

I've learned enough to get by in some things. The rest I use my phone if I'm by myself. Food ordering, numbers, how much things cost, etc

[fredwiggy]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

+1

 

I don't think the average outsider realizes just how tolerant the average American is.  I always figure that's the way it is around the world.  But it's not.

 

true, it's always best to try and get along, no matter how some are. Starting fights here only gets you looked at as worse. You can always smile at morons who are disrespectful, as it doesn't give anyone any ammunition to use against you.

[BangkokReady]

13 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

Another mind reader. LOL ... whatever. Most of the punters on this board never learn Thai or the culture.

 

It's through my knowledge of Thai culture that I know that Thais will still refer to you as farang when speaking about you.

[MalcolmB]

1 hour ago, bubblegum said:

I live in Soi Farang according to the delivery people 😆

 

[Airalee]

7 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

Do you speak Thai well enough to say - rent and apartment? Well I do.

Wow.  Impressive.  I’ll bet you can also count.  🙄

[pattjock]

Some people seems to be offended by farang, so what other colloquial expression for foreigner should be used by Thai people?

[Packer]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

He is right.. Farang is not a decent word and if Thai people talk about foreigners it is always farang.. I was teaching in a school but nobody ever said my name only the farang...And I always said it must be khon Farang, as it in Khon Jipoon, Khon Thai, etc .. and smiled with it... but even after 10 years in the same school they told me farang....Also in my neighbourhood if they as my friend  it is where is the farang, just if don't know my name while i live here already 20 years.. It is annoying, because how would Thai people respond if we all foreigners call them Thai... Hey Thai can you help me? Hey Thai how are you?... The Thai asked me if I could this or that....... I think big problems would occur as the would not accept it

 

Just a different culture where simply labeling a person in the vicinity isn't an insult.

 

A guy at our gym is called Red Shorts. 

 

Do you want to spar today?

With who?

(looks around) Red Shorts. 

 

 

Where's Red Shorts? He booked in for 2pm today.

 

Etc.

 

Simply a different culture that goes to highlight how Karen-esque so many Westerners are. 🙂

[MalcolmB]

9 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

+1

 

I don't think the average outsider realizes just how tolerant the average American is.  I always figure that's the way it is around the world.  But it's not.

 

I have noticed that about the Americans lately, with the wall and thedepertations etc

[minotaur]

11 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

เช้าอพาร์ทเมนท์

 

How is that?

Morning Apartment?

[GarryP]

1 hour ago, bubblegum said:

I live in Soi Farang according to the delivery people 😆

My house is Bahn Farang. 

[watchcat]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

He is right.. Farang is not a decent word and if Thai people talk about foreigners it is always farang.. I was teaching in a school but nobody ever said my name only the farang..

 

 

Yes you're right but what about aliens  as the Immigrations use?

[MalcolmB]

1 minute ago, minotaur said:

Morning Apartment?

How about เช่า ?

 

[watchcat]

1 hour ago, bubblegum said:

I live in Soi Farang according to the delivery people 😆

 

Move!

[MalcolmB]

16 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

I've learned enough to get by in some things. The rest I use my phone if I'm by myself. Food ordering, numbers, how much things cost, etc

How about conversations in a social setting with multiple people?

[fredwiggy]

1 minute ago, MalcolmB said:

How about conversations in a social setting with multiple people?

I wouldn't be there unless I'm with my girlfriend, who translates.

[fredwiggy]

22 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

เช้าอพาร์ทเมนท์

 

How is that?

การอยู่ร่วมกันในต่างประเทศเป็นเรื่องง่ายเสมอ ตราบใดที่คุณเป็นคนมีมารยาทและมีล่ามในโทรศัพท์ของคุณ

[fredwiggy]

15 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

I have noticed that about the Americans lately, with the wall and thedepertations etc

Tolerant doesn't mean weak.

[MalcolmB]

Just now, fredwiggy said:

I wouldn't be there unless I'm with my girlfriend, who translates.

So at a party your girlfriend translates every sentence everyone says for you?

Gee that would be hard work.

 

Most farangs do not know that there are other farang words that do not refer to us.

 

มันฝรั่ง mun farang is potato

ฝรั่ง guava 

หมากฝรั่ง maak farang is chewing gum 

 

ฝรั่ง farang is not racist 

However if you hear ไอ้ฝรั่ง it becomes a racist thing.

 

I hope that clears it up for you Fred. 
 

 

 

[fredwiggy]

18 minutes ago, pattjock said:

Some people seems to be offended by farang, so what other colloquial expression for foreigner should be used by Thai people?

Hello, what's your name? Referring to a foreigner as farang when you aren't there isn't a problem, and if you are, you ask their name.

[Hellfire]

I’ve noticed that my Thai wife starts using the word farang in conversations with her mother when we’re having an argument or when she’s very upset with me. So for me, there’s no doubt: very often it’s a generalizing and derogatory word in the mouths of Thais (though of course, not always).

[MalcolmB]

5 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

การอยู่ร่วมกันในต่างประเทศเป็นเรื่องง่ายเสมอ ตราบใดที่คุณเป็นคนมีมารยาทและมีล่ามในโทรศัพท์ของคุณ

Do you think it is fair on her though always needing to explain everything everyday to you? 

[MalcolmB]

2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Hello, what's your name? Referring to a foreigner as farang when you aren't there isn't a problem, and if you are, you ask their name.

Do you know your girlfriends mother and fathers names?

Do you use them?

[fredwiggy]

1 minute ago, MalcolmB said:

So at a party your girlfriend translates every sentence everyone says for you?

Gee that would be hard work.

 

Most farangs do not know that there are other farang words that do not refer to us.

 

มันฝรั่ง mun farang is potato

ฝรั่ง guava 

หมากฝรั่ง maak farang is chewing gum 

 

ฝรั่ง farang is not racist 

However if you hear ไอ้ฝรั่ง it becomes a racist thing.

 

I hope that clears it up for you Fred. 
 

 

 

Anyone can look up Thai English translating online on their phones. Anyone here can say they speak Thai and use what you just did. If you live here long enough you know many Thai words. If you want to learn Thai, you learn how to put them together. If you don't care to learn Thai, and still want to live here, you use your phone. If someone wants to ask me a question in a social setting, my girlfriend translates for me and I tell her what to say. They all know me, that I'm good to her, so I fit in.

[Hellfire]

1 hour ago, Cameroni said:

So another East European fool aggravated a Thai by thinking he was clever and saying "Ni Hao", thereby making all foreigners look like idiots.

 

Deport all East Europeans from Thailand today and 80% of problems would go away.

 

But yes, farang, is obviously derogatory..

 

Notice the difference, a Russian says Ni Hao because he's a stupid fool, but the deragotary word farang is used with knowing intent.

Are you aware that most Eastern Europeans (by origin) in US vote Trump? Why so much hatred in almost every post? Is that something personal for you?

[MalcolmB]

2 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

I’ve noticed that my Thai wife starts using the word farang in conversations with her mother when we’re having an argument or when she’s very upset with me. So for me, there’s no doubt: very often it’s a generalizing and derogatory word in the mouths of Thais (though of course, not always).

You just referred to your wife as a “Thai” wife. 
 

Is that derogatory?

[fredwiggy]

2 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Do you think it is fair on her though always needing to explain everything everyday to you? 

She speaks English so we speak English together. She doesn't need to explain everything because most of it doesn't involve me. If it does, she'll answer for me. Not a problem.

[BangkokReady]

22 minutes ago, pattjock said:

Some people seems to be offended by farang, so what other colloquial expression for foreigner should be used by Thai people?

 

It's pretty simple.  In a situation where it is normal to refer to someone by their name or some sort of title, and it is known, use that.

[MalcolmB]

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

If someone wants to ask me a question in a social setting, my girlfriend translates for me and I tell her what to say

A question fine.

But what about a conversation with multiple people in a social setting? It takes a special kind of arrogance to not care what people are saying around you.

[BangkokReady]

3 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Do you know your girlfriends mother and fathers names?

Do you use them?

 

No.  He just calls them "Thai person"!  🤦‍♂️