OxfordWill Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) it can be used as an insult but I would say the vast majority of the time it is a playful thing to say. You may get called "kee bon" when you complain about something. "kee lerm" when you forget something. Esarners in particular love to "exaggerrate" their descriptions of people they are fond of or close to. Its a way of breaking down barriers. The guy talking about his wife mentioning it in the taxi is very unlikely she was insulting him. Very unlikely indeed. It is more likely she was commenting on the (embarassing) fact that her husband was buying loso cheap nuts from a taxi window when he could have bought them in a shop for higher quality and paid more, because he can bloody well afford to! This is how I guess she was thinking. But it didnt bother her too much, just a chance to be playful and diminish any slight embarassment she felt by the taxi driver, her friend or just herself seeing her husband be less than posh/hi so. There's no way we can just say flat out it is or is not an insult of compliment. Its just not that kind of word. the reason most guys will think it is an insult is because their only exposure to it is in the bar scene, where money rules, and customers such as themselves are frequently not overly generous (not saying they should be!). And as such they come across "falang kee nok" in the negative sense. Once again evidence in support of the theory that hanging around the bar scene is not good for ones understanding of thai culture, language or.. anything. i hope you take my comments on board before you let it disrupt your familial relationships based on what a majority of sexpats have said to you about it on the internet. Edited January 17, 2009 by OxfordWill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patklang Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) CHINESE/THAI COOL BRAND NEW MERC Some lovely words there if you are a snob. maybe thats why they call you bird shit Edited January 17, 2009 by patklang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryalleman Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I stopped at some traffic lights in bkk, opened the window and bought some of those nuts for 20 baht. my missus laughed and said "farang kee nok" lights went green and about 100m down the road i opened the window and threw them out, childish yes but i took it as a insult and im 100% sure my missus didnt think i knew what it translated to.Farang kee nok is a insult. Edited because i forgot to say my missus is well educated and thai/chinese. The car i was driving was a brand new merc bought as a gift from her papa. I think you are too sensitive or don't know Thai language that good, Indeed " farangg kee nok can be an deep insult but its also a kind of fruit and sometimes its even can be joking in a lovely way, and even a compliment because you know how to apriciate walk side food. Its all depend on the tone of voice. I presume your misses made a joke and you misunderstand it. My wife is Sino/Thai also and she laughed when I told her your story. i think you sould to your missus because you insulted her by acting like that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
designersing Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 the reason most guys will think it is an insult is because their only exposure to it is in the bar scene, where money rules, and customers such as themselves are frequently not overly generous (not saying they should be!). And as such they come across "falang kee nok" in the negative sense.Once again evidence in support of the theory that hanging around the bar scene is not good for ones understanding of thai culture, language or.. anything. i hope you take my comments on board before you let it disrupt your familial relationships based on what a majority of sexpats have said to you about it on the internet. Thanks OxfordWill for wasting your precious time, I will take your comments on board and let it disrupt my relationships, as you seem to know what you are talking about, PS_are you a sexpat? Thanks for your ignorance, good luck and wear a helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
designersing Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 I stopped at some traffic lights in bkk, opened the window and bought some of those nuts for 20 baht. my missus laughed and said "farang kee nok" lights went green and about 100m down the road i opened the window and threw them out, childish yes but i took it as a insult and im 100% sure my missus didnt think i knew what it translated to.Farang kee nok is a insult. Edited because i forgot to say my missus is well educated and thai/chinese. The car i was driving was a brand new merc bought as a gift from her papa. I think you are too sensitive or don't know Thai language that good, Indeed " farangg kee nok can be an deep insult but its also a kind of fruit and sometimes its even can be joking in a lovely way, and even a compliment because you know how to apriciate walk side food. Its all depend on the tone of voice. I presume your misses made a joke and you misunderstand it. My wife is Sino/Thai also and she laughed when I told her your story. i think you sould to your missus because you insulted her by acting like that I dont think a wai would be suitable, however to explain that I didnt understand the words farang kii nok may well be suitable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BygonKeaw Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I stopped at some traffic lights in bkk, opened the window and bought some of those nuts for 20 baht. my missus laughed and said "farang kee nok" lights went green and about 100m down the road i opened the window and threw them out, childish yes but i took it as a insult and im 100% sure my missus didnt think i knew what it translated to.Farang kee nok is a insult. Edited because i forgot to say my missus is well educated and thai/chinese. The car i was driving was a brand new merc bought as a gift from her papa. Sounds like a match made in heaven. Bet she said Farang Jai Ron (ฝรั่งใจรอ้น) under her breath when you were through with your temper tantrum. I dont know what jai ron so i may ask her if i can be bothered, but why type it also in thai? showing off?? I bought some nuts for 20 baht i can only assume she called me a tight bastard in thai. ok maybe i shouldnt of thrown them out the window but she made the point that im farang and cant buy cheap things so i went straight out and blew 2000 baht on beer all for myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
designersing Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) Ah yeah, I'm a sexpat, ignorant, insensitive, and foolish least for even thinking of asking anyones opinion or experience on the matter, well thanks anyway! ....amazing no one mentioned thais dislike for farang, oh no that couldnt be? could it?................I'll let you work that one out for yourselves........... Edited January 17, 2009 by designersing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BygonKeaw Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 CHINESE/THAICOOL BRAND NEW MERC Some lovely words there if you are a snob. maybe thats why they call you bird shit thai/chinese actually mate. Im not a snob. im working class, she is the rich one who likes to make fun of me. Oh and her dad likes me i make him laugh so he bought me a silver merc with a gun in the glove box just incase any peanut sellers at traffic lights try to get funny with me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BygonKeaw Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I stopped at some traffic lights in bkk, opened the window and bought some of those nuts for 20 baht. my missus laughed and said "farang kee nok" lights went green and about 100m down the road i opened the window and threw them out, childish yes but i took it as a insult and im 100% sure my missus didnt think i knew what it translated to.Farang kee nok is a insult. Edited because i forgot to say my missus is well educated and thai/chinese. The car i was driving was a brand new merc bought as a gift from her papa. I think you are too sensitive or don't know Thai language that good, Indeed " farangg kee nok can be an deep insult but its also a kind of fruit and sometimes its even can be joking in a lovely way, and even a compliment because you know how to apriciate walk side food. Its all depend on the tone of voice. I presume your misses made a joke and you misunderstand it. My wife is Sino/Thai also and she laughed when I told her your story. i think you sould to your missus because you insulted her by acting like that I dont think a wai would be suitable, however to explain that I didnt understand the words farang kii nok may well be suitable It was a long time ago so no need to wai or say sorry, she never explained me. Its just she said and laughed in a piss taking way. Anyway to the OP if the family keep insulting you then dont go there anymore or give them money etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BygonKeaw Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) Ah yeah, I'm a sexpat, ignorant, insensitive, and foolish least for even thinking of asking anyones opinion or experience on the matter, well thanks anyway! ....amazing no one mentioned thais dislike for farang, oh no that couldnt be? could it?................I'll let you work that one out for yourselves........... Of course alot of thais dont like farang. I live in a thai middle class gated village in bangkok. Not many of them smile at me after i first smile to them. I think most of the well off thais would be embarrassed if there daughter married a farang. Embarrased they look like a hooker. Most of the time the thai smile has a reason for something unless your walking with your kids of course or smile first. Edited January 17, 2009 by BygonKeaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 the reason most guys will think it is an insult is because their only exposure to it is in the bar scene, where money rules, and customers such as themselves are frequently not overly generous (not saying they should be!). And as such they come across "falang kee nok" in the negative sense.Once again evidence in support of the theory that hanging around the bar scene is not good for ones understanding of thai culture, language or.. anything. i hope you take my comments on board before you let it disrupt your familial relationships based on what a majority of sexpats have said to you about it on the internet. Thanks OxfordWill for wasting your precious time, I will take your comments on board and let it disrupt my relationships, as you seem to know what you are talking about, PS_are you a sexpat? Thanks for your ignorance, good luck and wear a helmet. I wasnt calling you a sexpat. Shouldnt need any clarification. Don't believe its an insult simply because when you ask this question online, most replies will say it is. They will be wrong. Youre welcome.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanLaew Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Oh my Buddha! What a load of cynical and xenophobic buggers we have this morning. All desperately insecure in their Thai-Chinese, upper-middle class, wannabe hiso, categorically non bar girl, cross-cultural marriages... all except the chap in the hammock between the mango trees. He's got it right IMHO. I hear that the latest interpretation of farang means 'stress monkey'. Sorry I can't write that in Thai but you know the type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maigo6 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Of course alot of thais dont like farang. A lot of Farangs don't like Farangs also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loong Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Because most thais are racist, they can't understand anyone marrying a farang unless for big big money. If a farang lives what we would call a normal lifestyle without throwing stupid amounts of money around, he may be referred to as kii nok. This is as much an insult to the wife as it is to her farang husband. It is an INSULT and a nasty one often stemming from jealousy. However - coming from your wife is almost always a joke. From your in-laws? I don't know, but it seems you are not that close, so I would hazard a guess that at best it is a nasty joke at your expense, because they don't expect you to understand. If my father in-law or anybody in the family referred to me in this way, I would question him/them why?? and make it quite clear that I was not happy about it. I have found the only people who refer to me as "Kii Nok" Have an income of less than one tenth of mine and they are jealous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maigo6 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Because most thais are racist, they can't understand anyone marrying a farang unless for big big money. Or................ Because most Farangs are insecure in their own relationship, they can't understand anyone marrying a farang unless for big big money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 some people just cant be helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loong Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Because most thais are racist, they can't understand anyone marrying a farang unless for big big money. Or................ Because most Farangs are insecure in their own relationship, they can't understand anyone marrying a farang unless for big big money. Doesn't really merit a response Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t.s Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) it can be used as an insult but I would say the vast majority of the time it is a playful thing to say. You may get called "kee bon" when you complain about something. "kee lerm" when you forget something. Esarners in particular love to "exaggerrate" their descriptions of people they are fond of or close to. Its a way of breaking down barriers.The guy talking about his wife mentioning it in the taxi is very unlikely she was insulting him. Very unlikely indeed. It is more likely she was commenting on the (embarassing) fact that her husband was buying loso cheap nuts from a taxi window when he could have bought them in a shop for higher quality and paid more, because he can bloody well afford to! This is how I guess she was thinking. But it didnt bother her too much, just a chance to be playful and diminish any slight embarassment she felt by the taxi driver, her friend or just herself seeing her husband be less than posh/hi so. There's no way we can just say flat out it is or is not an insult of compliment. Its just not that kind of word. the reason most guys will think it is an insult is because their only exposure to it is in the bar scene, where money rules, and customers such as themselves are frequently not overly generous (not saying they should be!). And as such they come across "falang kee nok" in the negative sense. Once again evidence in support of the theory that hanging around the bar scene is not good for ones understanding of thai culture, language or.. anything. i hope you take my comments on board before you let it disrupt your familial relationships based on what a majority of sexpats have said to you about it on the internet. are making this up as you go? your speculation regarding his wife's motivations here is perhaps the largest load of <deleted> i have read on TV thus far. Edited January 17, 2009 by t.s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Of course alot of thais dont like farang. A lot of Farangs don't like Farangs also. Me me me.. i dont like farangs just for beeing a farang.. i like thai or farang if they are nice. Though i have to admit conversations with farangs are still easier then with thai's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BygonKeaw Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Of course alot of thais dont like farang. A lot of Farangs don't like Farangs also. Alot of thaivisa members dont like thaivisa members Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BygonKeaw Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Anyway to solve this problem in the first place, dont marry a poor thai girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryalleman Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 A little background: I've been living in Thailand for a while, I work in Singapore, I'm married, my wife is Thai, educated and pretty cool. Everytime I've gone to her parents house, I have done my best to speak Thai, to be polite and respect them in every best way I can and know and accept this isnt an easy culture to understand however I treat others with the respect I wish to be treated, this is the way I have been brought up. It started a while back at the family home, words said to me indirectly, such as farang kii nok, and others which I don't know as they have a countryside accent and I cant understand. I used to smile and brush them off, maybe its said in jest? However nowadays I have given all excuses possible not to go the parents home, they make me feel uncomfortable and the wife is always nagging at me to go with her. Maybe its inside my mind and I shouldnt be bothered with silly name calling, or perhaps its racism or perhaps they just don't like me, either way I'd like to know what you guys think.....any experiences with this? Thanks in adv! Thai's are always joking by name calling, if you understood Thai language enough you would know that close friends and families do it amongst themselves all the time. There is no bad intention behind it. Thai love to play with words to give them double meanings, they have a total different style of humour. For instance they don't find our jokes funny, and we find their jokes boring and not funny at all. They are masters in situation humour, not in telling jokes. As long as they make jokes with you its OK, or do you prefer they call you Khun and let you sit alone in some corner. And as one member wrote, take yourself not to seriuos and make jokes about yourself and soon you will have the reputation to be an "kao jai dee", and will be respected for it. It worked for me pretty well the last 30 years. Its even so when my wife complain something about me her family don't believe it, and tell her to jai yen yen and they take my side. . I know this when I hear they discus in the Kitchen and they thought I can not hear them. The only thing they do is sometimes saying I'm hard headed(after my back) because I don't follow their advise, than they smile and shake their head, because I don't spend my life as an 60 year old Thai of my age. One things is funny when I dam_n something and use an F word severalt times in row, in my own language(Dutch) they feel fun because in Thai its a kind of lemon. So in short after more than 30 years i'm still a strange bird in the family, but I know they love and respect me and they do everything to make me feel comfortable and they proved that they do protect me against any wrongdoing from others. And they accept thighs they would never accept from Thai people, because after all I'm that strange bird in the family. And yes sometimes they call me Thing Thong, passaat, and I call myself " banoak", " subeu" Thing Thong, passaat en "kee nok" also, its all part of having warm and close relationships in family and close friends. And I evenso call family and friends "kee nok" nobody take it badly because its always in a joking way. So guy's loosing up and relax and come down from your thrown and don't see racism or ill will against any misunderstood word or intention. I think many of the members have not such a great understanding of Thai culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxfordWill Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 (edited) t.s. - I am simply saying my interpretation of his story makes more sense than his own. Given that his reason for assuming he was insulted was simply hearing "falang kee nok". He has assumptions about this turn of phrase, which are simply incorrect, as I explained. I offer a different explanation which doesnt assume anything- relying instead on cultural norms such as that Thais dont like to be seen as loso (regardless of how much they may joke about being or wanting to be loso), the fact that the act of buying 20 baht nuts from his taxi is "loso", and the fact that the term falang kee nok is not normally an insult, and the fact that when a wife uses it to her husband, it iseven less likely to be. I am simply using rules of probability to come to this possible explanation. It is more likely to be right that his, given that his is based on incorrect beliefs about the phrase and nothing more. but then again I am forgetting we are "all entitled to our opinion" and therefore none of us can be wrong, and we must all be right. I wonder if me and henryalleman are the only thai speakers on this thread. probably. Edited January 17, 2009 by OxfordWill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 And yes sometimes they call me Thing Thong, passaat, and I call myself " banoak", " subeu" Thing Thong, passaat en "kee nok" also, its all part of having warm and close relationships in family and close friends. And I evenso call family and friends "kee nok" nobody take it badly because its always in a joking way.I think many of the members have not such a great understanding of Thai culture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I wonder if me and henryalleman are the only thai speakers on this thread. probably. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryalleman Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Ah yeah, I'm a sexpat, ignorant, insensitive, and foolish least for even thinking of asking anyones opinion or experience on the matter, well thanks anyway! ....amazing no one mentioned thais dislike for farang, oh no that couldnt be? could it?................I'll let you work that one out for yourselves........... Of course alot of thais dont like farang. I live in a thai middle class gated village in bangkok. Not many of them smile at me after i first smile to them. maybe they are just shy, as most Thai people I think most of the well off thais would be embarrassed if there daughter married a farang. Embarrased they look like a hooker. That's correct, its even worse in midle class Chinese families wife was afraid to tell her parents. lucky we lived abroad and i met her in my own country. So she told them after we been married alread. I even know some of them asked such an high "Sinsod" so the man was not able to pay it, and therefore canceled the marriage plans. The parents very happy because they could protect the daughter from such mistake. And that man was still a lucky one, because there are other way's to prevent a daughter to get married with a farang. Don't forget life is cheap in Thailand. Most of the time the thai smile has a reason for something unless your walking with your kids of course or smile first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotime Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Racist or not, you will always be a farang here in Thailand. Yes, they do enjoy making fun of you. I went to a GF's "family estate" about 2 to 3 hours drive from Bangkok. Basically in the middle of nowhere. My GF requested I buy a gold ring for her Mother for 4,000 baht. While we were there, I was exposed to the usual jerking around which I expected. There was once another farang in the village that was named Martin. Since then, every farang is called Martin. That's just one small example. When we left, her Mother made a remark concerning the ring and that I was cheap. I'm familiar with that word. I told her Mother that when I come next time, I'm bringing her a ring on wheels because it will be so fuc_king huge, she'll need the wheels to be able to walk. It's not uncommon, when you're the odd man out, to get jerked off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henryalleman Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 t.s. - I am simply saying my interpretation of his story makes more sense than his own. Given that his reason for assuming he was insulted was simply hearing "falang kee nok". He has assumptions about this turn of phrase, which are simply incorrect, as I explained. I offer a different explanation which doesnt assume anything- relying instead on cultural norms such as that Thais dont like to be seen as loso (regardless of how much they may joke about being or wanting to be loso), the fact that the act of buying 20 baht nuts from his taxi is "loso", and the fact that the term falang kee nok is not normally an insult, and the fact that when a wife uses it to her husband, it iseven less likely to be. I am simply using rules of probability to come to this possible explanation. It is more likely to be right that his, given that his is based on incorrect beliefs about the phrase and nothing more.but then again I am forgetting we are "all entitled to our opinion" and therefore none of us can be wrong, and we must all be right. I wonder if me and henryalleman are the only thai speakers on this thread. probably. wonder if me and henryalleman are the only thai speakers on this thread. probably. Henry, phuut prasaat Thai mai dee krab, Henry phuut dai nitnoi krab. chokdee krab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maigo6 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Racist or not, you will always be a farang here in Thailand. Would you want it any other way ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAWP Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Racist or not, you will always be a farang here in Thailand. Yes, they do enjoy making fun of you.I went to a GF's "family estate" about 2 to 3 hours drive from Bangkok. Basically in the middle of nowhere. My GF requested I buy a gold ring for her Mother for 4,000 baht. While we were there, I was exposed to the usual jerking around which I expected. There was once another farang in the village that was named Martin. Since then, every farang is called Martin. That's just one small example. When we left, her Mother made a remark concerning the ring and that I was cheap. I'm familiar with that word. I told her Mother that when I come next time, I'm bringing her a ring on wheels because it will be so fuc_king huge, she'll need the wheels to be able to walk. It's not uncommon, when you're the odd man out, to get jerked off. And what was the answer to the question 'Why?' that you ofcourse asked her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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