Should Your Luk Kreung Be More Thai Than Farang?

[eurasianthai]

I want my son to be as Thai as farang and I make sure he is.

But yesterday's events make me want him to be more farang than Thai.

Am I wrong?

[Carib]

On second thoughts: Never mind.

edit for second thoughts.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Carib

[mccw]

his own feelings will develop by the nature. If he's grown up in thailand i imajine he will feel atleast a little more thai than farrang.

i'm not sure why recent events would make you want him to be more farang? farang lands have many troubles also and + and - in so many ways.

A rational compassionate citizen of any counrty is fine by me

[473geo]

In my opinion, I bring my son up in Thailand I want him to be fully integrated, so he will be as Thai same as his sister and friends.

He has already expressed a wish to live in my country of origin, so I respect that too.

Therefore my conclusion is I will try to let him be Thai, with a good understanding of my origins/language and his alternative history.

Then if in later life he decides to utilise his dual nationality he can.

If he decides to live in my country of origin I would expect him to still consider himself Thai first rather than half and half.

[eurasianthai]

i'm not sure why recent events would make you want him to be more farang?

I want him to win an argument with his words, not with his guns.

I want him to understand that the army has nothing to do in the streets.

The army should defend the country, and the people of that country.

Not fight with them.

[mccw]

i'm not sure why recent events would make you want him to be more farang?

I want him to win an argument with his words, not with his guns.

I want him to understand that the army has nothing to do in the streets.

The army should defend the country, and the people of that country.

Not fight with them.

This is why i said reasonable and compassionate citizen. Reasonable people should use "words and not guns" as you say.

In my opinion the army IS defending the country and its people, if a violent mob minority try to kick out an elected government (which this gov is) then the army needs to protect the demorcratic process, the country; if anarchy or mob rule wins every thai looses. but there just my thoughts, no need for guns , think we should keep try to this thread about the kids.

[ozsamurai]

To the Thai he will be Farang, never going to change that, why bother. He is a farang. Whatever is in the mix is only as important as the country he resides, here, as shown by the recent immaturity of this whole country, he is no where near being anything local, never will be.

Oz

[eurasianthai]

then the army needs to protect the democratic process

You're joking, right?

[eurasianthai]

as shown by the recent immaturity of this whole country, he is no where near being anything local, never will be.

Oz

Indeed, my point actually.

And it is sad, for me anyway.

[barky]

As you indicated, he already knows where he would be better off at least career, intellectually, finacially, security as well as racially acceptance wise.

Your son is already wise enough to recognise that.

When he has set himself up in the golden west, and squeezed everything he can out of it, he can come back to Thailand, declare his Thainess and live a comfortable life here while still draining what he can from the west.

[eurasianthai]

He is the best of both worlds these days.

Presenting food to the monks in the morning.

And questioning his mum in the afternoon about what is happening in Thailand...

[givenall]

In my opinion, I bring my son up in Thailand I want him to be fully integrated, so he will be as Thai same as his sister and friends.

He has already expressed a wish to live in my country of origin, so I respect that too.

Therefore my conclusion is I will try to let him be Thai, with a good understanding of my origins/language and his alternative history.

Then if in later life he decides to utilise his dual nationality he can.

If he decides to live in my country of origin I would expect him to still consider himself Thai first rather than half and half.

Anyone who has a chance to be a Farang should be a Farang till they are rich and older. Then they can be either Thai or Farang depending on them

[473geo]

In my opinion, I bring my son up in Thailand I want him to be fully integrated, so he will be as Thai same as his sister and friends.

He has already expressed a wish to live in my country of origin, so I respect that too.

Therefore my conclusion is I will try to let him be Thai, with a good understanding of my origins/language and his alternative history.

Then if in later life he decides to utilise his dual nationality he can.

If he decides to live in my country of origin I would expect him to still consider himself Thai first rather than half and half.

Anyone who has a chance to be a Farang should be a Farang till they are rich and older. Then they can be either Thai or Farang depending on them

First he will be a child, and enjoy his uncomplicated life in Thailand where he can roam free without worry, after another couple of years when his grooming really starts he and I will plot his path.

[mizzi39]

Our son is luk kreung. He is overwhelmed with attention from all the Thais around him. Relax OP, your child with have the best of both worlds, and the hottest chicks to boot when he gets older.

[Livinginexile]

I think about my son's future.

To give him the best start in life then English needs to be his first language.

Our future here in Thailand is about his education and his culture will be a fusion of Thai and English. I like to think the best of both worlds.

I meet too many Farangs in Thailand with children that can't speak a word of English!

[mccw]

I meet too many Farangs in Thailand with children that can't speak a word of English!

a few of these in my village, and some of the falang dads can hardly speak thai either!

[TerryLH]

"I meet too many Farangs in Thailand with children that can't speak a word of English!"

A lot of the fathers can't speak much English either.

[mccw]

I'm thinking i'll move my familly back to england at school age, give them oppertunity of recognised qualifications; if i could afford international school then maybe i'd stay, but probably not. To be honest i'd like them to grow up with british culture and healthy dose of thai thrown in to the mix rather than the other way around; i could give feelings why but they may not be correct, but its just my feeling. we'll reasses later depending on finances, could give them the choice when perhapse 14 and 16; i know i'd of loved to have so many fine young ladies around rather than the prolific english pikeys

[BlackArtemis]

When I have children I want them to be a mixture of both and I am sure the majority agree.

Proper Thai children are extremely polite and want to take care of family. Socially they are more polite as well. I don't want my kid laughing like a baboon with this feet up on chairs in the movie theaters.

On the other hand, I want my kids to be able to think for themselves and speak their mind and be self sufficient.

While I want these things, we will see what happens, just guide them the best we can. However, the only mandatory rule is that they speak Thai, Northern, and English fluently. I find it quite sad that I speak better Thai than many half kids or even full blooded over here in the US.

[gregb]

Overall, the Thai culture still has many valuable traits as compared to the culture in most of Farangland, which I would describe as diseased at best.

However, I do think that it is dangerous to completely trust your child's education to the Thai system. There are bad aspects of Thailand just as there are good ones. For that reason, I am planning on home schooling my children. I do not believe anyone can teach them as well as I can. I have more concern for their well being and more interest in their development than any teacher even at an expensive international school.

It is impossible to shield them from the larger Thai culture, nor would I want to. But I do want an opportunity to speak with them on a daily basis and to make sure that I can recognize any small signs that they are heading down a path that isn't good for them. I don't know whether I will succeed, but I sincerely hope I can integrate the best aspects of both Thailand and Farangland in them.

That will be easier to do in Thailand where things are not nearly as controlled and intrusive as they are in the West.

[wintermute]

"I meet too many Farangs in Thailand with children that can't speak a word of English!"

A lot of the fathers can't speak much English either.

Ain't that the truth?

I loathe to think of what some of these spoiled children will grow up as. I think most Thais at some point will get over the luk-kreung entertainment trend and treat people like normal human beings. As it stands the vast majority of luk-kreung have no use to Thais aside from showbiz and that's only a small minority of them who can speak thai fluently and operate within the thai culture, as well as being stunningly beautiful or handsome. Also most of the soap star LK you see are from extremely wealthy families not some bar girl/hooligan combo.

Most of the LK children I see are neither. I'm guessing the vast majority of "other" are drifting along on the exterior trying to fit in somehow. They'll still probably have a better chance in the west as long as the mother isn't of the "questionable" type of which they'll be hounded by jokes from both cultures.

[ThanonFarang]

You are wrong for allowing yesterdays events to shape your opinion (thus looking down on Thailand)

If it were me I'd want a balance but i'd want them more Farang - definitely 100% fluent in English (no accent, knows all of the slang etc), well traveled, educated in America etc. Though I'd want them to spend a lot of time here too, have a lot of Thai friends, be close to their Thai family, speak Thai equally fluently etc.

Ultimately though it would be up to them. If they chose to shun my culture and roots, I'd accept that and not force it on them - or at least I hope I would.

Edited April 11, 2010 by ThanonFarang

[Amyji]

You are wrong for allowing yesterdays events to shape your opinion (thus looking down on Thailand)

If it were me I'd want a balance but i'd want them more Farang - definitely 100% fluent in English (no accent, knows all of the slang etc), well traveled, educated in America etc. Though I'd want them to spend a lot of time here too, have a lot of Thai friends, be close to their Thai family, speak Thai equally fluently etc.

Ultimately though it would be up to them. If they chose to shun my culture and roots, I'd accept that and not force it on them - or at least I hope I would.

I'm just like you, ThanonFarang. My Thai husband and I plan to move back to Thailand in March next year (we're in the US now) to spend the next 2-4 years so that our son can be immersed in Thai culture and language. The plan is for him to attend the former bi-lingual school where I taught (and I will hopefully be hired as a teacher again as well - they said they would!). Next year he will be G1. This is the optimal age to learn to read and write Thai. Postponing living there when he's a little older will make it harder for him to integrate.

We are fortunate in that here in the Bay Area, CA there's a Thai Temple in Berkeley that hosts a Thai school for kids every Sunday. Also during the summer the kids can go four days a week for a very reasonable tuition. I'm also grateful that my husbands' job allows him to live anywhere in the world.

Thai and American. That's what our son is and we're raising him both ways. And then he'll decide where to take his life as an adult, as all adults do.

[fletchsmile]

I think we all like the idea of them having the best of both worlds and having both. Unfortunately I think Thai society is not yet developed enough or mature enough asd a whole to accept this yet. Some - yes. Most no?

If a choice needs to be made, foreign without a doubt offers much more choice. Like it or not the world is becoming globalised and internationalised. The "Thai way" is useful in Thailand, and while it has some nice elements to it, it's hardly a recipe for success in the rest of the world.

[WOOHOO]

Overall, the Thai culture still has many valuable traits as compared to the culture in most of Farangland, which I would describe as diseased at best.

However, I do think that it is dangerous to completely trust your child's education to the Thai system. There are bad aspects of Thailand just as there are good ones. For that reason, I am planning on home schooling my children. I do not believe anyone can teach them as well as I can. I have more concern for their well being and more interest in their development than any teacher even at an expensive international school.

It is impossible to shield them from the larger Thai culture, nor would I want to. But I do want an opportunity to speak with them on a daily basis and to make sure that I can recognize any small signs that they are heading down a path that isn't good for them. I don't know whether I will succeed, but I sincerely hope I can integrate the best aspects of both Thailand and Farangland in them.

That will be easier to do in Thailand where things are not nearly as controlled and intrusive as they are in the West.

I don't think that is the way to go. Interaction with others is a huge part of a childs daily life, not talking with his dad! You can still do what you said, watch for the signs that things are going wrong, but for the sake of your child, do it outside of school hours.

I went to an all boys school, and although it didn't hold me back personally, I think others may have been worse affected. I would never send my son to a single sex school as I believe it is denying them a normal level of interaction. Home schooling in my opinion would be 100 times worse.

I think the fact the we as parents are trying to decide, which way things will pan out is an issue. Nature needs to take its course to a certain degree, and things develop naturally. At the end of the day, regardless of fads and fashions, they are exactly what they are. 50 50 right down the middle.

[t.s]

I think about my son's future.

To give him the best start in life then English needs to be his first language.

Our future here in Thailand is about his education and his culture will be a fusion of Thai and English. I like to think the best of both worlds.

I meet too many Farangs in Thailand with children that can't speak a word of English!

my 3 1/2 year old has just decided she is not thai and will defend this vociferously if presented with any argument to the contrary. Like picking her nose (her own comparison), she says speaking thai should only be done at home.

i am quite concerned with this attitude and try to explain to her daily that she is both, but to little avail. yesterday she demanded her nanny explain why she cannot speak english.

She will be going to a thai school soon, i am pleased she has made such great progress with english, but not at the expense of her thai.

[osirusnow]

So all these luk kreung kids that are working, or if you are a luk kreung yourself who can speak both Thai and English natively, where do they usually work - besides the obvious entertainment biz?

[Moonrakers]

I think about my son's future.

To give him the best start in life then English needs to be his first language.

Our future here in Thailand is about his education and his culture will be a fusion of Thai and English. I like to think the best of both worlds.

I meet too many Farangs in Thailand with children that can't speak a word of English!

my 3 1/2 year old has just decided she is not thai and will defend this vociferously if presented with any argument to the contrary. Like picking her nose (her own comparison), she says speaking thai should only be done at home.

i am quite concerned with this attitude and try to explain to her daily that she is both, but to little avail. yesterday she demanded her nanny explain why she cannot speak english.

She will be going to a thai school soon, i am pleased she has made such great progress with english, but not at the expense of her thai.

Your daughter is obviously too young to understand but I'd be more concerned where she picked that up from, I doubt she thought of that herself. Would her maid be non-Thai, Filipino perhaps (just a guess)

In regards to the O.P. question. It doesn't matter what we think, Thai's are notoriously ignorant to such things and our children are never likely to be considered Thai (maybe an exaggeration but you get my point). I think that it's a case of them being a chameleon and adjusting to each scenario as it happens. Being bi-lingual and having both parents from each culture will help that.

[anon345535]

i have shared custody with my ex. i asked her not to speak english to my daughter only thai, whereas i only speak english to her. she is 50% thai and was born here so i think she should know all about thai culture. 2 aspects of it though i will completely undermine and they are the ridiculous (imo) family values and buddhism or any other religion. if when she's older she decides she wants to become a bible basher and give all of her money to her mothers family that have never done anything of any value for her then that's her choice...

[MAJIC]

i'm not sure why recent events would make you want him to be more farang?

I want him to win an argument with his words, not with his guns.

I want him to understand that the army has nothing to do in the streets.

The army should defend the country, and the people of that country.

Not fight with them.

This is why i said reasonable and compassionate citizen. Reasonable people should use "words and not guns" as you say.

In my opinion the army IS defending the country and its people, if a violent mob minority try to kick out an elected government (which this gov is) then the army needs to protect the demorcratic process, the country; if anarchy or mob rule wins every thai looses. but there just my thoughts, no need for guns , think we should keep try to this thread about the kids.

Agree with your last sentence,we should also not try to bias our children towards either Nationality

They are individuals in their own right,and hopefully will use the best of both Worlds to their own advantage.