What Is The Biggest Misconception The Thai Have About You, Or Farangs?

[sylviex]

Sylvie, women do have an all important role to play in society but since they're generally far better than

than men at running a house, raising children and taking care of a man's needs, they are confined to this

role by men in many lands.

Most kids (but especially boys) would probably do better with more balanced involvement of male & female parents.

Running a house is not difficult. Boring, routine, unfulfilling chores for the most part. Anyone can do it *if they try*. Some women do enjoy it, though, as do some men.

I am not sure what "taking care of a man's needs" means, exactly ?

I suspect that this is so because if they were allowed other roles, who knows what else they might do

better?

Yes, I think there's still some male insecurity about women in the paid workforce but many men say they like working with women and that women bring new perspectives & skills to teams.

However, purely out of selfish motives, I hope this situation remains so because I for one would not trust men in general to follow through with a woman's allotted responsibilities.

Alotted by whom ? !

Teacup; sorry - yet another strand to this discussion. It is evidence of how engaging this topic is.

It is hard to talk about cultural differences without running into gender roles.

[MonkeyHouse]

That we need to have sex all the time.

[teacup]

Thank you each and everyone for liking, participating, and reading the topic

-------------------------------------------

Just a question

Is “the aptitude test” the same as IQ test?

I had it done when I was around 16 or 17, the result was rather astonishing, and it said…

I should study to become a physicist,…don’t know why, cuz never liked science much. So I became an architect instead and very much happy with the choice.

If I were to study physic, I didn’t think I could make it past the first year, and can’t imagine myself as a one happy physicist.

[OlRedEyes]

What are some of the misconceptions the thais have about you, or farangs in general?

Anything that you want to let it out your chest or care to clarify,….. just shove it here.

There you go, as someone said already. 'Farangs in general' . Till the Thai can drop that little misconception, they'll never understand an American, Italian, Frenchman or any of the vastly different cultures that they happily lump together to try and make life simple.

I don’t see how the thais in general can be able to distinguish the different in a nationality of one caucasian standing next to another caucasian, or caucasian similarity, ….unless you wear your flag on a sleeve or something.

As long as you’re not an asian, Indian, middle eastern, then most likely you will be grouped with “the farang “ generally, sorry.

Don’t take it as the name is so offensive or in derogatory in any ways, but we just don’t know what else to call you, if you don’t like to be referred as “a farang”. Unless you can come up with something different. Any suggestion? We can do a poll if you like.

Don’t worry it’s not that so important to us whether you’re a brit, yank, Italian, or Abanian,….and no need for us, thais, to pinpoint or be so specific when addressing you.

Unless….for example

We want to marry you for a passport, ……..or you want to open up a restaurant, then of course it will now be an importance of what nationality of the foods you’re serving.

If I want to eat the NewYork steak or the Maine Lobster, then I probably wouldn’t want to walk into the restaurant called “LondonFog Yappie”, wouldn't it?

I don't worry about it It isn't me that is depriving myself of understanding and thereby improving my prospects of progress..

[moo9]

Farang chop nom yai mak mak......

At least not always true for me, but wonder why so many TL get siliconized?!

[MonkeyHouse]

Farang chop nom yai mak mak......

At least not always true for me, but wonder why so many TL get siliconized?!

The bar girls for farang, and the others for there thai bfs.

[qwertz]

Sylvie, women do have an all important role to play in society but since they're generally far better than

than men at running a house, raising children and taking care of a man's needs, they are confined to this

role by men in many lands.

Most kids (but especially boys) would probably do better with more balanced involvement of male & female parents.

Running a house is not difficult. Boring, routine, unfulfilling chores for the most part. Anyone can do it *if they try*. Some women do enjoy it, though, as do some men.

I am not sure what "taking care of a man's needs" means, exactly ? Organisation, a tidy house, freshly laundered clothes, good food on the table, sex on tap, need I go on?

I suspect that this is so because if they were allowed other roles, who knows what else they might do

better?

Yes, I think there's still some male insecurity about women in the paid workforce but many men say they like working with women and that women bring new perspectives & skills to teams.

However, purely out of selfish motives, I hope this situation remains so because I for one would not trust men in general to follow through with a woman's allotted responsibilities.

Alotted by whom ? ! By the men in their society of course.

Teacup; sorry - yet another strand to this discussion. It is evidence of how engaging this topic is.

It is hard to talk about cultural differences without running into gender roles.

[sylviex]

I am not sure what "taking care of a man's needs" means, exactly ? Organisation, a tidy house, freshly laundered clothes, good food on the table, sex on tap, need I go on?

I can't tell if qwertz's tongue is in his cheek or not.

In some languages, I believe, the word for "want" is the same as the word for "need" but I don't think that is the case in Thai, is it ?

I know many men, not in the least effeminate, who are entirely capable of taking care of these "needs" for themselves (the last one included ). I also "need" most of the above.

I just don't believe women are innately better at these things. I am aware that some people do believe they are. To bring this back to cultural misconceptions, why would it be that men in some countries are handling these tasks quite ably but in other countries women are still mostly responsible ?

Alotted by whom ? ! By the men in their society of course.

I don't think it is quite that simple. I picked up on the word "alotted" for that reason. Culturally determined gender roles ... how do they arise ? under what conditions do they change ? I would suggest that when women are encouraged to take education and careers seriously, change occurs.

(Oh, dear, am I a mascochist or delusional or something, talking like this on this forum ?!)

Edited July 28, 2008 by sylviex

[PeaceBlondie]

Almost all strangers pretty much look alike. You do not mistake an albino for an African, and eyelids make Thais look different from Belgians (both Walloons and Flemish). Otherwise, farang cannot tell much difference between a 5 foot 8 iinch Italian and a 5 foot 10 inch Swede (thinking of two Chiang Mai posters that I know). Living in a Chinese and Vietnamese neighborhood, I assumed the burger flippers were from those countries, not from Thailand. Unless Thais know you individually as a unique individual, you are just another face of European ancestry. If your subcontinent is a melting pot like mine used to be, the Swedes and Italians resembled each other.

Thais have not learned to differentiate among farang by sight, and we should not expect them to. And since their language has a Thai word for it, we be farang.

[Jingthing]

That we need to have sex all the time.

And that we are always game for a massage, any time, any place.

[dhind1]

Just because I can read a map I am some sort of genius.

I obviously cannot see the hawker so he needs to step in front of me and ask or interrupt my reading to ask me if I need --- (substitute anthing in here)

[lardy]

Yes put 900 baht of fuel in the car, handed over 1000 baht note and got 900 baht change, drove off, yes he probably had it stopped from his salary, lost his job,and his wife divorced him!!

He did have a rather distant look............ many do.

pardon me, but that sounds quite disgusting

Please Naam no need to apologise he he he

[teacup]

“he he he”

It’s ERRRRR……it’s ERRRR…….oh can’t say it, just don’t use it while in thailand

[qwertz]

I am not sure what "taking care of a man's needs" means, exactly ? Organisation, a tidy house, freshly laundered clothes, good food on the table, sex on tap, need I go on?

I can't tell if qwertz's tongue is in his cheek or not.

In some languages, I believe, the word for "want" is the same as the word for "need" but I don't think that is the case in Thai, is it ?

I know many men, not in the least effeminate, who are entirely capable of taking care of these "needs" for themselves (the last one included ). I also "need" most of the above.

I just don't believe women are innately better at these things. I am aware that some people do believe they are. To bring this back to cultural misconceptions, why would it be that men in some countries are handling these tasks quite ably but in other countries women are still mostly responsible ?

Alotted by whom ? ! By the men in their society of course.

I don't think it is quite that simple. I picked up on the word "alotted" for that reason. Culturally determined gender roles ... how do they arise ? under what conditions do they change ? I would suggest that when women are encouraged to take education and careers seriously, change occurs.

(Oh, dear, am I a mascochist or delusional or something, talking like this on this forum ?!)

Sylvie, I'm a master of the oblique statement and a born cynic.

What you perhaps didn't read into my posts was my objective personal view or my situation.

My wife died in 2004 and left me her grown up son.

Without her we run a house like Laurel and Hardy and we'd be living out of cans if I didn't cook.

Everything stops for the World Cup or any other football game and there are cigarette butts and beer cans everywhere you look.

If it weren't for the the tacit acceptance of many women of the role foisted (not alotted) on them I believe many men would live like

I do.

The major difference between a man and a woman is that you don't have to do it but you take it on anyway.

Most men don't, that's why at this moment I'm staring at a mountain of washing that needs ironing and if it weren't for a nice Russian

lady who comes in twice a week it would never be done.

Your gender role question is easier to answer, it's determined by nurture, not culture.

All a bit off topic but there's your clarification.

P.S. Thai women have latched on to this conception and go to a lot of trouble for their farang hubby- in general.

Edited July 28, 2008 by qwertz

[bkkjames]

Almost all strangers pretty much look alike. You do not mistake an albino for an African, and eyelids make Thais look different from Belgians (both Walloons and Flemish). Otherwise, farang cannot tell much difference between a 5 foot 8 iinch Italian and a 5 foot 10 inch Swede (thinking of two Chiang Mai posters that I know). Living in a Chinese and Vietnamese neighborhood, I assumed the burger flippers were from those countries, not from Thailand. Unless Thais know you individually as a unique individual, you are just another face of European ancestry. If your subcontinent is a melting pot like mine used to be, the Swedes and Italians resembled each other.

Thais have not learned to differentiate among farang by sight, and we should not expect them to. And since their language has a Thai word for it, we be farang.

I just wonder why the Thai language hasn't been able to evolve beyond farang. Surely this isn't the 19th century when things were just a bit more backward. Other language evolve, but it's a Thai catch-all to say everything foreign is farang, be it a caucasian, fruit, tv set whatever.

If the locals want to taken more seriously on the world stage, the need to evolve, including the language. I am not expert in it by any means, but surely they can come up with other words for something that means foreign. They don't have a hard time calling a Fin made telephone nokia, but still refer to the Fin himself as farang. 90 percent of the things here have foreign origins, including chilli but somehow they refer to it a prik thai, go figure. Anyways, i ramble...

[Andrew Hicks]

SO…..

What is the biggest misconception……

or

What are some of the misconceptions the thais have about you, or farangs in general?

Anything we “the thais” haven’t heard it before?

I’m pretty sure there are many thai readers or members here who are thai browsing thru this forum.

I, for one, would like to know more.

Anything that you want to let it out your chest or care to clarify,….. just shove it here.

The Thais think that farang are all dirty.

Like the minister or whoever who recently said that their railway sleeper cars are infested with bed bugs because the farang travellers never wash.

The Thais do wash a lot because it's hot.

But the streets, houses and homes, food hygeine and all the other indicia of cleanliness? How do the Thais score there?

[OlRedEyes]

Almost all strangers pretty much look alike. You do not mistake an albino for an African, and eyelids make Thais look different from Belgians (both Walloons and Flemish). Otherwise, farang cannot tell much difference between a 5 foot 8 iinch Italian and a 5 foot 10 inch Swede (thinking of two Chiang Mai posters that I know). Living in a Chinese and Vietnamese neighborhood, I assumed the burger flippers were from those countries, not from Thailand. Unless Thais know you individually as a unique individual, you are just another face of European ancestry. If your subcontinent is a melting pot like mine used to be, the Swedes and Italians resembled each other.

Thais have not learned to differentiate among farang by sight, and we should not expect them to. And since their language has a Thai word for it, we be farang.

One question. How do you differentiate between a Nigerian and a Ugandian?

There are also many words in various languages you can use to lump them together. Civilised people will use a non-racial term.

[teacup]

What makes you think conquering other races makes anyone more civilized?

[Steve2UK]

Civilised people will use a non-racial term.

Hmmm........ I think you're skating on thin ice with that one. Brits in colonial Africa seemed generally happy to refer to the natives as "<deleted>" for quite a while - regardless of whether they were Nigerian or Ugandan.......... not to mention in India, Malaya etc. Most Afrikaaners referred to the (original) natives as "kaffirs". And it's fairly recently that Americans (generally) switched to saying "Afro/African-American" and "native American" rather than "black" and "Indian". Were the Brits/Afrikaaners/Americans all uncivilised before they dropped the racial terms?

Come to that - how non-racial is "Afro-American"?

I was actually once asked by my partner's uncle (a Thai schoolteacher) whether I minded Thai people referring to me as "farang" all the time. I gave him the usual response that I did, in fact, find it a bit strange but accepted it as being my inevitable lot to go on being labelled as "not Thai" (my interpretation of why it happens).

[Steve2UK]

What makes you think conquering other races makes anyone more civilized?

Teacup - that's a cute question

.......but it doesn't really do much to move this discussion forward.

[sylviex]

My wife died in 2004 and left me her grown up son.

Without her we run a house like Laurel and Hardy and we'd be living out of cans if I didn't cook.

Everything stops for the World Cup or any other football game and there are cigarette butts and beer cans everywhere you look.

Qwertz - good for you ! Nobody ever died wishing they had spent more time cleaning the house !

Your gender role question is easier to answer, it's determined by nurture, not culture.

But nurture is greatly influenced by cultural values.

[himachal]

All dark skin people are from middle east and are muslims..!

and most of them are terrorists!

with funny little twisted beards and smelly willies!

[himachal]

One question. How do you differentiate between a Nigerian and a Ugandian?

Answer: The Ugandian is misspelt.

[teacup]

What makes you think conquering other races makes anyone more civilized?

Teacup - that's a cute question

.......but it doesn't really do much to move this discussion forward.

I know …I know….Sorry just couldn’t help, but he started it first.

Poor and unworldly …..yes

Uncivilized?……NO

Ok back to the main topic

[qwertz]

My wife died in 2004 and left me her grown up son.

Without her we run a house like Laurel and Hardy and we'd be living out of cans if I didn't cook.

Everything stops for the World Cup or any other football game and there are cigarette butts and beer cans everywhere you look.

Qwertz - good for you ! Nobody ever died wishing they had spent more time cleaning the house !

Your gender role question is easier to answer, it's determined by nurture, not culture.

But nurture is greatly influenced by cultural values.

Bingo, Teacup, and misconceptions spring from the same source.

The Thais are often surprised when I tell them many farangs like me come from monarchies too and that

our royal families are also revered by many. Many Thais think their monarchy is unique and haven't

considered that farangs might have something in common.

[boiledegg]

The Thais are often surprised when I tell them many farangs like me come from monarchies too and that

our royal families are also revered by many.

Many Thais think their monarchy is unique and haven't considered that farangs might have something in common.

I cant name a monarch that has the support of the nation in the way the King of Thailand has, hence he is unique.

[Pundi64]

SO…..

What is the biggest misconception……

or

What are some of the misconceptions the thais have about you, or farangs in general?

Anything we "the thais" haven't heard it before?

I'm pretty sure there are many thai readers or members here who are thai browsing thru this forum.

I, for one, would like to know more.

Anything that you want to let it out your chest or care to clarify,….. just shove it here.

That we have an exhaustible supply of $

[Chaimai]

The British one isnt revered, the old bag just signed us over to the EU last week, im soon to be a EU citizen as opposed to One of Her Majesties Subjects, if she had any power/brains/decency she would have refused to sign this illegal document.

Maybe the UK is unique - if you were Thai you would not have been able to make the above comment without having your balls cut off. Which you probably deserve to have done anyway for not understanding that Her Majesty is only signing on behalf of the British government - save your vitriol for them.

[qwertz]

The Thais are often surprised when I tell them many farangs like me come from monarchies too and that

our royal families are also revered by many.

The British one isnt revered, the old bag just signed us over to the EU last week, im soon to be a EU citizen as opposed to One of Her Majesties Subjects, if she had any power/brains/decency she would have refused to sign this illegal document.

Many Thais think their monarchy is unique and haven't considered that farangs might have something in common.

I cant name a monarch that has the support of the nation in the way the King of Thailand has, hence he is unique.

I did say revered by many.

The facts speak for themselves.

[OlRedEyes]

Civilised people will use a non-racial term.

Hmmm........ I think you're skating on thin ice with that one. Brits in colonial Africa seemed generally happy to refer to the natives as "<deleted>" for quite a while - regardless of whether they were Nigerian or Ugandan.......... not to mention in India, Malaya etc. Most Afrikaaners referred to the (original) natives as "kaffirs". And it's fairly recently that Americans (generally) switched to saying "Afro/African-American" and "native American" rather than "black" and "Indian". Were the Brits/Afrikaaners/Americans all uncivilised before they dropped the racial terms?

Come to that - how non-racial is "Afro-American"?

I was actually once asked by my partner's uncle (a Thai schoolteacher) whether I minded Thai people referring to me as "farang" all the time. I gave him the usual response that I did, in fact, find it a bit strange but accepted it as being my inevitable lot to go on being labelled as "not Thai" (my interpretation of why it happens).

Civilized people as in individuals, not groups of whatever discription.

Edited August 3, 2008 by OlRedEyes