How Many Of Us Have Luk Krueng Children?

[mpdkorat]

Over time there have been many foreign visitors to Thailand who have married Thai citizens, and many of these relationships have produced mixed race children. In recent years there has been more and more people visiting and relocating to Thailand and there seems to have been an explosion of interracial marriages. I’m married to a Thai woman and we have a son together who is approaching three years of age. I was just wondering how many other members of this forum have children of mixed race. I’m also interested in the views of others on how they feel their children will accepted in the future, both here in Thailand and abroad. I myself have quite a positive view, as my son will have the benefits of both cultures.

[petitechevre]

my newborn is.. but aside from his eyes being a little slanted.. he looks nothing like a thai.. snow white skin, bigger, western face

but i do see a ton of thai woman/caucasian males with babies/kids around.. none of these kids are mixed race though.. all look 100% thai... actualy i have seen one that was mixed.. all the rest 100% thai

[GarryP]

Son is 19, looks neither truly Thai nor truly farang (except that he is definitely much taller than the average Thai). A good mix and a great kid (young man). Daughter looked very farang with only a tinge of Thai. Unfortunately, she passed away a couple of years ago aged 10.

[Boo]

techevre Posted Today, 2008-09-04 06:44:46

but i do see a ton of thai woman/caucasian males with babies/kids around.. none of these kids are mixed race though.. all look 100% thai... actualy i have seen one that was mixed.. all the rest 100% thai

Not all Luk Krueng kids inherit western features. Many mixed race children take on more genetic characteristics of one parent, usually the one with the darker more dominant genes.

If you are trying to suggest something else then I am warning you in my capacity as moderator to stop right there.

[arabic]

Many mixed children with other asian / middle eastern parents.

[mackayae]

It's very common. Watch local Tv.

lukkrueng.com

Edited September 4, 2008 by mackayae

[arabic]

lukkreung

interesting , if you put lukkrueng into google there is a website just for the parents and their children. they have members from all over the world, so the population of mixed reace Thai's must be growing very fast.

[mpdkorat]

Son is 19, looks neither truly Thai nor truly farang (except that he is definitely much taller than the average Thai). A good mix and a great kid (young man). Daughter looked very farang with only a tinge of Thai. Unfortunately, she passed away a couple of years ago aged 10.

Sorry to hear about your Daughter mate, I will not say more but I feel for you.

[PaulaK]

im 24, and have my mum's thai looks only thing different is im not slim like most thai women i have curves and of an average build but I no of this other mixed race girl of my age and she looks more western like her father.

These forums are really good, and I have recently found a few on google, sharin your experiences are fantastic, when i was young the net was non existant lol and u went by ur own judgements, but my parents did a brilliant job in bringing me up knowing both my cultures and I love them for that

[billd766]

Our son is 4 and he looks 100% Thai which is fortunate for him as his Dad (that's me) is old fat, and not the best looking guy in the world.

:D

[keestha]

I have known a lot of people who were half Dutch, half Indonesian (Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony), and I can confirm some of them look fully Dutch, some fully Indonesian, whilst some others look like dark haired brown eyed South Europeans. Also within the same family.

But that is not such an interesting point. I would rather get this thread back on a more interesting track:

I’m also interested in the views of others on how they feel their children will accepted in the future, both here in Thailand and abroad.

I have heard/read a few times that sometimes the mixed race children are discriminated in Thailand, because they are seen as the result of a prostitution relationship.

Does anybody who has (somewhat older) half Thai children have experiences with this?

Edited September 5, 2008 by keestha

[dingdongrb]

I as well am happy to have my daughter of two experience both cultures. I think she looks more like her mother rather than me (big ears and big nose) but she definitely has my eyes (except they are not blue) as the first comment from most that see her say, 'she has big eyes'. She was born with a head of hair to which the doctors exclaimed when she was born. Even at two she is using both the Thai and English language.

Everyone states how beautiful she is and as being her proud parent I have to fully agree. When out and about, even at two, everyone has to touch her but I am sure this happens to all lukkrueng babies. If you visit my profile and search you just might happen upon a link to a blog that I created for her. (Makes for an easy way that friends and family back in the USA can see and read on her growing progress without sending a ton of emails and pics.)

[Flatouthruthefog]

im 24, and have my mum's thai looks only thing different is im not slim like most thai women i have curves and of an average build but I no of this other mixed race girl of my age and she looks more western like her father.

These forums are really good, and I have recently found a few on google, sharin your experiences are fantastic, when i was young the net was non existant lol and u went by ur own judgements, but my parents did a brilliant job in bringing me up knowing both my cultures and I love them for that

Hello PaulaK and other readers here! I feel that your message is not only one of the very best here but actually justifies the whole topic. I entered it with trepidation, but can now see its possible benefits, thanks to you. Can you please encourage other 'luk kreungsters' to give us their views? We farang & Thai parents will benefit!!

I am the proud farang Dad of a boy born here 3 years ago. He is light skinned, has a big square forehead like me and Amazingly everyone says he is lovely. They praise his light brown hair as if it were special, somehow. But all children of all races (and mixed races) change as they mature. My 100% farang daughter was the same at the same age (21 years ago!), but by puberty her face had lengthened and narrowed and she became a very attractive blond version of her mother.

If we look at Thai entertainment (actors/actresses/models etc) we see that such youngsters are generally well regarded, not simply 'accepted'. A thousand per cent better than the situation in my own dear UK where 'mixed race' (or worse, 'half cast') kids are still treated as 2nd class citizens - and by members of BOTH their parents' races. A tragedy since, in my half century of experience, such folk are generally very attractive and seem to inherit the best of both worlds.

Hey! Let's do a real social service and start a new thread for all concerned! BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!

Mods? Whaddya think?

[IMA_FARANG]

Over time there have been many foreign visitors to Thailand who have married Thai citizens, and many of these relationships have produced mixed race children. In recent years there has been more and more people visiting and relocating to Thailand and there seems to have been an explosion of interracial marriages. I'm married to a Thai woman and we have a son together who is approaching three years of age. I was just wondering how many other members of this forum have children of mixed race. I'm also interested in the views of others on how they feel their children will accepted in the future, both here in Thailand and abroad. I myself have quite a positive view, as my son will have the benefits of both cultures.

I voted, but I'm probably kind of the "oddball" in the poll. My Thai girlfiend has 3 children, 2 male and one female, all over 20 years of age by her first marriage. I am not the biological father, but I raised them since the youngest was 5 years old (he's now 26). They are a mixture of Thai (mother full Thai) and a Burmese/Austrailian father. Also some Indian heritage mixed in (grandmother was a mixed Indian/Burmese who married an Aussie). The family came to Bangkok after WWII from Burma.

They are definately "darker" than the normal Thais, with a definate Indian skin tone. When they were young there was some problems with their I.D. cards and schooling as they weren't considered "full Thai". That however, has changed since the 1980's (with Thai mothers with mixed children now being able to get I.D. cards for their children). Her daughter, married to a Thai man, now has a grand-daughter who looks more "Thai", but still is slightly dark skinned. Just pre-teen now, but is going to be a stunning looking woman, with just enough of a Indian skin tone to be "exotic" looking. Smart too, and speaks good English. In a few years grandmother/grandfather will have to be beating off the boys. So it goes.

From what I've seen in Thailand (especially Bangkok) there has definately been an easing of barriers for mixed Thai foriegn children. Not like it was say 30 to 40 years ago.

Don't know if that was the intent of the poll, but I threw it in just for fun, and to spice up the stewpot.

[damo]

Here is a pic of my daughter taken eight months ago, she was three and a half years old then. I guess a picture is worth many words but in my opinion, my daughter has more of a western appearance, with some Thai features. Funny situation once, my wife, my daughter and I were in an asian grocer in the city doing some shopping and there were a couple of Thai ladies who asked my wife if she was babysitting.

Something that I get quite often here in Australia is when we are in places like shopping malls etc, usually young women will see my wife and I with my daughter and then take another(more intent) look at my wife and I then look at my daughter, allmost like they are trying to depict the genetic contribution my wife and I made to our daughter.

As far as my daughter is concerned, her life as a Lukkrung will not too different to that of most other Aussie kids, allbeit a little better travelled. That's if we stay here as in time my wife and I would like to re-locate to Thailand so again the impact on my daughters life as a lukkrueng child will be different. One big difference is here in Austrtalia a lot of mixed race childred are cropping up, where I live it is more common to see and mixed race half Phillipino children (Mestio) than it is to see a child of strictly Phillipino decent.

Damo.

[petitechevre]

I as well am happy to have my daughter of two experience both cultures. I think she looks more like her mother rather than me (big ears and big nose) but she definitely has my eyes (except they are not blue) as the first comment from most that see her say, 'she has big eyes'. She was born with a head of hair to which the doctors exclaimed when she was born. Even at two she is using both the Thai and English language.

Everyone states how beautiful she is and as being her proud parent I have to fully agree. When out and about, even at two, everyone has to touch her but I am sure this happens to all lukkrueng babies. If you visit my profile and search you just might happen upon a link to a blog that I created for her. (Makes for an easy way that friends and family back in the USA can see and read on her growing progress without sending a ton of emails and pics.)

wow she's really beautiful... saddens me that im too young to get a second baby.. and i got a boy.. which i love but i wanted a little princess just like that hehe

You can definately see that she'll look like those thai soap star with light skin.. good for her..

[dingdongrb]

I as well am happy to have my daughter of two experience both cultures. I think she looks more like her mother rather than me (big ears and big nose) but she definitely has my eyes (except they are not blue) as the first comment from most that see her say, 'she has big eyes'. She was born with a head of hair to which the doctors exclaimed when she was born. Even at two she is using both the Thai and English language.

Everyone states how beautiful she is and as being her proud parent I have to fully agree. When out and about, even at two, everyone has to touch her but I am sure this happens to all lukkrueng babies. If you visit my profile and search you just might happen upon a link to a blog that I created for her. (Makes for an easy way that friends and family back in the USA can see and read on her growing progress without sending a ton of emails and pics.)

wow she's really beautiful... saddens me that im too young to get a second baby.. and i got a boy.. which i love but i wanted a little princess just like that hehe

You can definately see that she'll look like those thai soap star with light skin.. good for her..

Thanks Petitechevre for the kind words... As I said, I am glad that she looks more like her mother than me although my wife's parents were a little disappointed that she didn't have blonde hair..... I guess I will be keeping the shotgun cleaned and loaded when she gets older.....haha

Edited September 6, 2008 by dingdongrb

[meandwi]

Here is a pic of my daughter taken eight months ago, she was three and a half years old then. I guess a picture is worth many words but in my opinion, my daughter has more of a western appearance, with some Thai features. Funny situation once, my wife, my daughter and I were in an asian grocer in the city doing some shopping and there were a couple of Thai ladies who asked my wife if she was babysitting.

Something that I get quite often here in Australia is when we are in places like shopping malls etc, usually young women will see my wife and I with my daughter and then take another(more intent) look at my wife and I then look at my daughter, allmost like they are trying to depict the genetic contribution my wife and I made to our daughter.

As far as my daughter is concerned, her life as a Lukkrung will not too different to that of most other Aussie kids, allbeit a little better travelled. That's if we stay here as in time my wife and I would like to re-locate to Thailand so again the impact on my daughters life as a lukkrueng child will be different. One big difference is here in Austrtalia a lot of mixed race childred are cropping up, where I live it is more common to see and mixed race half Phillipino children (Mestio) than it is to see a child of strictly Phillipino decent.

Damo.

She's a little princess, Good job Damo! I am also a proud parent of a little luk krueng sweety pie. My wife is from the Southern Thailand and is very dark skinned. So she was delighted to have a baby with much lighter skin. We do get alot of great comments about her when around town. People are drawn to her and everyone wants to hold her. She has a very happy personallity. She is 10 months now and all the words she speaks are in Thai. We try to speak mostly Thai to her now, with daddy speaking a few words in english on occasion.

meandwi

[dingdongrb]

She's a little princess, Good job Damo! I am also a proud parent of a little luk krueng sweety pie. My wife is from the Southern Thailand and is very dark skinned. So she was delighted to have a baby with much lighter skin. We do get alot of great comments about her when around town. People are drawn to her and everyone wants to hold her. She has a very happy personallity. She is 10 months now and all the words she speaks are in Thai. We try to speak mostly Thai to her now, with daddy speaking a few words in english on occasion.

meandwi

Good job to you as well Meandwi, your daughter is quite the little angel...Or should it be 'bunny'...haha

I am wondering something though and please take no offense, but your daughter has very little hair and I am wondering did you shave her head when she was a few weeks old. I ask this because I know it is very common in the Asian culture to shave the heads of newborns whether they are boys or girls. Does anyone know the reasoning behind that? I speculate that it is believed the hair will grow in fuller as the baby gets older. Also I want to say that I heard when babies are young it is common for the hair to fall out in clumps. (Not just Asian babies but all babies in general.) My wife mentioned one time only about shaving our daughter's head but I would not allow it. As she got older there was no hair that fell out, that is in clumps, that I was aware of.

First pic - Almost 2 years old (Past April)

Second pic - four days old

Edited September 6, 2008 by dingdongrb

[kenk3z]

The comment about shaving the baby's head is something I had not heard before, but my wife confirms she knows that some people do this. One thing it can help with is when the child wants to pull out hair. Our son did this to the extent he had little hair when 6-9 months old. I guess he did this as a nervous activity or some such "comforting" behavior. As a result at 2-1/2 years old I think his hair is much thinner than the usual child. Certainly thinner than the average Thai child.

He is lighter skinned than both of us, with reddish brown hair. Some of that may come from my mother's family which is very light skinned. He seems to be lucky to have pooled the better possibilities of genetic "looks" from the two of us. His life would have been very difficult had he pooled the ugly side.

Does anyone else have the experience with baby hair pulling or failling out? Does the hair regrow to "normal" thickness when the child is older?

kenk3z

[mrt273nva]

here is a picture of my boy. i'd say he is pretty evenly mixed in terms of looks between my wife an me. people's reactions are mixed as well on who he looks more like.

[Boo]

The one with the bow is my son at Christmas when he was 7 1/2 months old and the other one taken 3 weeks ago at 15 months.

He looks like his dad but very fair skinned & his hair is light brown with blonde natural highlights running through it. His eyes are an odd mix of hazel & green & he inherits his height from my side of the family too as he is very tall & is taller or same height as the 2+ year old toddlers we know.

[scorecard]

I've got a little different situation. I'm farang and I have an adopted Thai son (100% Thai, and very much a Thai face). He's now in his mid twenties.

Causes no end of surprise and head scratching when he introduces me as his father, and has no hesitation to make this introduction. He's often been asked to explain. He tried when he was younger to explain in detail which mostly caused more confusion and sometimes questions / comments which upset him.

Today his answer is mostly "it would take too long to explain, i'll tell you another time" and he quickly changes the subject. I'm happy with whatever explanation makes him happy.

He's very proud of his very typical farang family name. At university he was told several times by lecturers that farang names are not nice and he should change his name. He would never talk back to a teacher, but he did come home and vent his anger. Only made him more proud of his name.

He's a very humble, very caring young man. He knows he has more opportunity than many of his friends, but he made his own 'policy' when he was very young to never never 'stand out'.

I'm very proud of him.

[Mossfinn]

The comment about shaving the baby's head is something I had not heard before, but my wife confirms she knows that some people do this.

I think it could be quite common, the wife states it is because the second growth will be stronger and therefore more healthier.

Hey, don't shoot the messenger

Moss

[Mossfinn]

See what I mean?

Wrong attachment

Phew, somehow managed to do delete it myself

Edited September 6, 2008 by Mossfinn

[Mossfinn]

See what I mean

Moss

[dereklev]

My son is 3 years 9 months and is constantly referred to as "farang noi". That's him in my avatar...

[JSPS]

I have two mixed race children. A son 35 and a daughter 34. Both my son and daughter look vaguely Thai. They have only visited Thailand once and grew up in Germany, the US and Japan. I was American Army and married my wife in Bangkok in 1971. First marriage for both of us, no extra husbands or children, and we are still married. Pretty incredible.

I have two grandchildren from my daughter. Their father is a Polack/Mick New Yorker. My granddaughter is blonde and doesn't look remotely Thai. The only thing "Thai" about her is her middle name which is Kaliyani, her Thai grandmother's name. But my grandson looks more Thai than either his mother or his uncle. Go figure?

[torrenova]

I don't mean this in any way judgemental but do you think that it is right (maybe not the correct word) for someone who is mixed race never to live there or speak the language etc. I know a couple of kids who are half Thai who would have some difficulty finding Thailand on a map as they have never been there.

I know circumstances often dictate what we do in our lives but I personally think we owe it to our kids to let them experience both cultures.

[billd766]

I don't mean this in any way judgemental but do you think that it is right (maybe not the correct word) for someone who is mixed race never to live there or speak the language etc. I know a couple of kids who are half Thai who would have some difficulty finding Thailand on a map as they have never been there.

I know circumstances often dictate what we do in our lives but I personally think we owe it to our kids to let them experience both cultures.

My son is 4 and lives in Thailand with his Mum (and me when I am not working offshore) but as I am 64 I will probably take my family to the UK to show them where I came from. However as most of my family are dead apart from my son from my first marriage he won't meet any relations and we will never live there so he will never know what it is like really.

However I will still teach him English as that will be of use when he gets older.