Farang Mean Foreign, All Asian Looks The Same ?

[Aries74]

Hello,

Have anybody ever think that the word farang mean foreign!

I used to think this, and I asked my myself why don't Thai call Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc. farang?

So, I thought may be all Asian looks the same when blend in with Thais so they don't call them farang.

Now I know that farang is like Caucasian race, white-skinned.

I came across an article, and don't remember where that if Thai people call you farang it's disrespectful.

If you see a foreigner walking down the street ( Caucasian race, white-skinned ) they would likely say

here come the farang or look at the farang.

You don't see the foreigners say oh! here come the Thai or look at the Asian.

What do you guy think, is it disrespectful to say the word FARANG?

Have a nice day.

[chonabot]

Oh look, your avatar is a farang as well - how neat !

[britmaveric]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[jackr]

Spose it can be but couldn't really give a tinkers toss if you called me a farang, unless you were a friend or if perhaps the missus referred to me as "the farang".

If having a bad hair day and a Thai says "hey farang" or similar in a derogatory way, I'll just retort with "hey, kon Lao"

Give it a couple generations of growing up and you guys will probably get all PC and stop using it... along with having some half-decent TV.

[jetjock]

IMO calling someone a farang is only disrepectful if you put the word ' f*cking ' in front of it !

[cdnvic]

Continuing on the theme of quickly degenerating topics again....

[Misty]

I'd always heard it was short for farangseht, or French. The French used to be, and still probably largely are, Caucasian.

So I guess you'll have to decide if it's an insult to be called French

In Hawaii, people with white skin are "haoles". In Hong Kong, they're "guilo" (which I think means foreign devil?) In Latin America, people who speak English as their primary language are "gringos." Some of these may have originated as insults. But there's plenty of insults for people of different races as I'm sure you're aware, in Thai as well as English.

For me, it's all in how the word is delivered. Even "farang kii nok" (bird sh*t farang) can be a friendly greeting, when it's said by my close friends. (I'm happy to return said greeting.)

Cheers, Misty

Hello,

Have anybody ever think that the word farang mean foreign!

I used to think this, and I asked my myself why don't Thai call Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc. farang?

So, I thought may be all Asian looks the same when blend in with Thais so they don't call them farang.

Now I know that farang is like Caucasian race, white-skinned.

I came across an article, and don't remember where that if Thai people call you farang it's disrespectful.

If you see a foreigner walking down the street ( Caucasian race, white-skinned ) they would likely say

here come the farang or look at the farang.

You don't see the foreigners say oh! here come the Thai or look at the Asian.

What do you guy think, is it disrespectful to say the word FARANG?

Have a nice day.

Edited October 8, 2007 by Misty

[geriatrickid]

For me, it's all in how the word is delivered. Even "farang kii nok" (bird sh*t farang) can be a friendly greeting, when it's said by my close friends. (I'm happy to return said greeting.)

LOL, that's sweet. I get called bpratsatsia which is one up from dting dtong especially when I tell them I avoid public toilets (I liked it better when I didn't know. Serves me right for asking 20X what they meant.)

[Gary A]

I once had a black friend visit here and when the Thais found out he was from the US, they called him a farang too. I take no offense to being called a farang and at least I understand the farang word. When they are talking among themselves and having those sideways glance at me is when I become nervous.

[Aries74]

IMO calling someone a farang is only disrepectful if you put the word ' f*cking ' in front of it !

I don't think that many Thai know the word " f*cking" mean.

May be I should translated for them.

ฟัก -fak mean - squash

กลิ้ง -gling mean -roll

That would not be disrespectful because it come out to be FARANG ROLL SQUASH, and most Thai do not speak English.

Yes, you are correct if they speak english.

We all wish they speak english right. ?

OR may it's a good think that we do not understant what Thai are talking about.

[PeaceBlondie]

I notice that when I arrive at the public swimming pool, people who know me call me by my first name, and strangers refer to me (directly or among friends) as 'the farang.' No disrespect, just a way of saying "not one of us Thais, not Asian, probably of European heritage." Some call me "ajarn." Nobody calls me "that dirty, nasty non-citizen who moderates ThaiVisa."

[Neeranam]

I came across an article, and don't remember where that if Thai people call you farang it's disrespectful.

It's a term of endearment.

[fennielyn]

In Hawaii, people with white skin are "haoles". In Hong Kong, they're "guilo" (which I think means foreign devil?) In Latin America, people who speak English as their primary language are "gringos." Some of these may have originated as insults. But there's plenty of insults for people of different races as I'm sure you're aware, in Thai as well as English.

I totally agree with you. I honestly believe that the word doesn't have any negative connotations at all unless delivered in a tone that implies otherwise. When I'm talking to my Thai friends I usually use the word without giving it a second thought. Just like back home, we'd use the term *ang moh* (meaning red hair - the origins of which I'm not sure of despite knowing the meaning of the word since I was a kid, but there's always wiki ) when referring to a Caucasian and that too really doesn't mean anything bad or mean or insulting. I remembered when my sis was but a wee child, the word Caucasian was a bit too unwieldy for her too handle and I'd shorten it to just caukie for her (she, " jie jie, look at that cute caukie!" in that adorable baby voice of hers or "I wanna marry a caukie when I grow up" -- that was when she was 3 and fascinated with blue eyes) and in fact between us we still use it now and then and always with affection too It's more like people just say stuff in a language best understood by them and where they can clearly and quickly get a point across. And if there are different alternatives to the word in the same language, I'm sure they would be employed as well.

Funny how only on the boards do we take apart and dissect every lil minutae of everday life that I really don't even notice or bother with IRL. :D And yes I'm guilty of this too. =p

Edited October 8, 2007 by fennielyn

[Aries74]

For me, it's all in how the word is delivered. Even "farang kii nok" (bird sh*t farang) can be a friendly greeting, when it's said by my close friends. (I'm happy to return said greeting.)

LOL, that's sweet. I get called bpratsatsia which is one up from dting dtong especially when I tell them I avoid public toilets (I liked it better when I didn't know. Serves me right for asking 20X what they meant.)

Yes, I agree with you about avoiding public toilets, I guess you are not the only one that's

prat-zad-sia or ting tong I guess it mean paranoid

Sometime it's good to know then you can call them the samething.

Or, better yet you can call your Thai friends paranoid.

[Neeranam]

For me, it's all in how the word is delivered. Even "farang kii nok" (bird sh*t farang) can be a friendly greeting, when it's said by my close friends. (I'm happy to return said greeting.)

LOL, that's sweet. I get called bpratsatsia which is one up from dting dtong especially when I tell them I avoid public toilets (I liked it better when I didn't know. Serves me right for asking 20X what they meant.)

Yes, I agree with you about avoiding public toilets, I guess you are not the only one that's

prat-zad-sia or ting tong I guess it mean paranoid

Sometime it's good to know then you can call them the samething.

Or, better yet you can call your Thai friends paranoid.

I'd say that 'prat zad sia' or ประสาทเสียmeans plainly 'insane;, not specifically paranoid.

ประสาทหลอน'bpra saat lawn' means paranoid or deluded.

[technocracy]

Well no as foreign is 'dtang-bpa-taet' (well it is in Lao - I'd expect Thai has a similar word).  

Funny thing about the 'asian' all look the same .. .. from a western eye maybe but if you ask an asian if westerners all look the same the answer will be yes also!

My wife says it may times - all falang look the same! 

[pgs]

The younger ones in the family call me 'loong-lang' (uncle farang).

Running joke in the family for the sisters etc, is to call me 'farang isaan', for others it's 'farang <village name>'

I don't care as long as they don't call me late for dinner.

[solo siam]

Well no as foreign is 'dtang-bpa-taet' (well it is in Lao - I'd expect Thai has a similar word).

Funny thing about the 'asian' all look the same .. .. from a western eye maybe but if you ask an asian if westerners all look the same the answer will be yes also!

My wife says it may times - all falang look the same!

I don't understand this, we have different coloured hair (Blonde, Brown, Red), different coloured eyes etc...

Much easier to tell apart than Asians.

[phutoie2]

It does get better, I was farang, now its "you"

[zaza]

Oh NO not again!

[scousemouse]

dear oh dear .............................. .

[qualtrough]

If ever there was a topic that has been done to death here this is it.

[cdnvic]

If ever there was a topic that has been done to death here this is it.

You're forgetting double pricing and the trustworthiness of Thai women

[Crossy]

Nobody calls me "that dirty, nasty non-citizen who moderates ThaiVisa."

555. I can think of a few (ex) TV members who might :D

Back on topic. I'm with the 'non-insult' school. It's usually just a way of defining someone who's name you don't know (or have forgotten) no worse than 'the black guy', 'the red head', 'the little bald chap'

I've only been called it in a bad way once, and that was when I caused a Thai driver to stop for me on a pedestrian crossing, seems he thought that it should be a capital offence.

[jetzie]

actually, foreigner means "tann-chat"

Farang refers to the whites.

Asian non thais are called tann-chats

americans/brits/eurs are called farangs

[Aries74]

actually, foreigner means "tann-chat"

Farang refers to the whites.

Asian non thais are called tann-chats

americans/brits/eurs are called farangs

Yes, I agree with you that the word tann chats mean foreigner.

It doesn't matter if you are Asian, White, Black you are a foreigner.

Taang Chaat also apply to americans/brits/eurs not just Asian non thias.

คนต่างชาติ-kon taang chaat or ชาวต่างประเทศ - chaao taang pra thaeht mean foreigner.

nationality other than thai or country other than thailand

[meadish_sweetball]

Yep, this topic has probably been done 40-50 times already, but I will throw in my two cents again anyway. Apologies in advance to those of you who already know what I think:

It is not an insult, but a neutral reference to something Caucasian/Western - a person, or something that is associated with Western culture, ahaan farang (food), phleeng farang (music), nang farang (movies), wathanatham farang (culture).

It is however not the most polite or formal word you can use, and would not be the preferred word of choice in a formal text. So it differs from Caucasian in register ('farang' is informal, and Caucasian is 'formal').

Talking to your mate in the street, you would not say 'Look at that Caucasian over there' any more than most Thai people would say 'Duu chaao dtawan dtok khon nan si' ...

When we're talking insults, then it would be 'farang' followed by a negative word like 'khii nok', and/or preceeded by a negative word such as 'ii'... If you hear 'ii farang noon baa chip' chances are somebody has quite strong opinions about a Westerner...

[meemiathai]

IMO calling someone a farang is only disrepectful if you put the word ' f*cking ' in front of it !

It must be difficult to have farang babies then.

[intumult]

Well no as foreign is 'dtang-bpa-taet' (well it is in Lao - I'd expect Thai has a similar word).

Funny thing about the 'asian' all look the same .. .. from a western eye maybe but if you ask an asian if westerners all look the same the answer will be yes also!

My wife says it may times - all falang look the same!

Had the same sort of thing but usually relating to hair or the lack of hair on Farangs!!!

edit.... on topic

Never seen it as an insult to be called a Farang.

Edited October 8, 2007 by intumult

[qualtrough]

If ever there was a topic that has been done to death here this is it.

You're forgetting double pricing and the trustworthiness of Thai women

I stand corrected!