Is There A Thai Word For Expat?

[BookSanook]

Is there a Thai word for expat or expatriate (other than foreigner) ?

I have found several definitions but no Thai equivalent words.

ผู้พำนักอยู่ต่างประเทศ

คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ

Thanks,

BS (that reminds me, I should really re-think my initials!)

[Tywais]

I'm not sure what you mean by definition because คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ is a noun (word) for expatriate as far as I can tell. A shortened version เนรเทศ though not clear if it fits exactly.

[bkkjames]

Gullible?

[BookSanook]

Gullible?

Not what I was looking for, but interestingly, Thai has many words for "gullible"

[BookSanook]

I'm not sure what you mean by definition because คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ is a noun (word) for expatriate as far as I can tell. A shortened version เนรเทศ though not clear if it fits exactly.

I think that คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ is more explanation than noun (person who lives abroad.) but I admit that may be the only term in common use.

And my understanding is that เนรเทศ is more appropriate for someone who has deported.

I am guessing that when Thais talk about Thais living in the USA or UK or Europe or Australia, they have some word or idiom that they prefer. Just a hunch.

[SoftWater]

I'm not sure what you mean by definition because คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ is a noun (word) for expatriate as far as I can tell. A shortened version เนรเทศ though not clear if it fits exactly.

I think that คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ is more explanation than noun (person who lives abroad.) but I admit that may be the only term in common use.

And my understanding is that เนรเทศ is more appropriate for someone who has deported.

I am guessing that when Thais talk about Thais living in the USA or UK or Europe or Australia, they have some word or idiom that they prefer. Just a hunch.

Don't have any personal experience with this one, but Oxford River dic has ผู้อพยพ for a person who has emigrated.

It also confirms your understanding of เนรเทศ, which is defined as 'exile'.

Best

Sw

[Peppy]

I'm not sure what you mean by definition because คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ is a noun (word) for expatriate as far as I can tell.  A shortened version เนรเทศ though not clear if it fits exactly.

I think that คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ is more explanation than noun (person who lives abroad.) but I admit that may be the only term in common use.

And my understanding is that เนรเทศ is more appropriate for someone who has deported.

I am guessing that when Thais talk about Thais living in the USA or UK or Europe or Australia, they have some word or idiom that they prefer. Just a hunch.

You are correct about เนรเทศ, BookSanook (and it's a verb, not a noun, btw). About คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ, though, I think Tywais is right. I think the division between "word" and "definition" in Thai is somewhat blurrier than in English, since Thai is very much monosyllablic. Many words (at least, those that don't have Indic or English roots) are composed of syllables which are distinct words by themselves, so it's tempting to interpret them as definitions, especially in the case of nouns, but often the whole phrase is treated simply as a single word. I think คนที่อาศัยอยู่ต่างประเทศ is one of these cases. This is one of the easier aspects of the Thai language in my opinion: many words are definitions unto themselves, and sometimes you can guess the correct word for something simply by defining it, even if you don't know what the right word is.

When Thais talk about Thais living abroad, I've often heard คนไทยในต่างประเทศ, or คนไทยใน[name of country].

[Briggsy]

I feel 'เอกซ์แพท' or 'expat' is fairly widely used as a loan word. There really are so many in common usage nowadays in Thai, it's hard to know when somebody is using an English word for effect, or because they are within earshot of a foreigner or whether it is the commonly used word in Thai.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Briggsy

[jumbo]

A lot of 'modern' European languages do not have a word for expat as well....

So that Thai doesnot have it should not be a surprise!!?

[DavidHouston]

What about, from Lexitron:

¤¹µèÒ§´éÒÇ [N] alien; foreigner

Class. ¤¹

Syn. ¤¹µèÒ§»ÃÐà·È, ªÒǵèÒ§ªÒµÔ, ªÒǵèÒ§»ÃÐà·È, ¤¹µèÒ§ªÒµÔ

Def. ªÒǵèÒ§»ÃÐà·È·ÕèÁÕ¶Ôè¹°Ò¹ÍÂÙèã¹ÍÕ¡»ÃÐà·È˹Öè§.

Sample:¤¹µèÒ§´éÒÇã¹àÁ×ͧä·ÂäÁèÁÕÊÔ·¸Ôìà»ç¹à¨éҢͧ·Õè´Ô¹ä´é

[An alien in Thailand does not have the right to purchase real property.]

[Tywais]

David, there appears to be a font problem in your post, not legible. Anyone else see the same problem?

[Briggsy]

David, there appears to be a font problem in your post, not legible. Anyone else see the same problem?

I appear to have the same view as you, Tywais.

[DavidHouston]

[Let me try this through Internet Explorer, rather than Chrome]

What about, from Lexitron:

คนต่างด้าว [N] alien; foreigner

Class. คน

Syn. คนต่างประเทศ, ชาวต่างชาติ, ชาวต่างประเทศ, คนต่างชาติ

Def. ชาวต่างประเทศที่มีถิ่นฐานอยู่ในอีกประเทศหนึ่ง.

Sample:คนต่างด้าวในเมืองไทยไม่มีสิทธิ์เป็นเจ้าของที่ดินได้

[An alien in Thailand does not have the right to purchase real property.]

[Briggsy]

A lot of 'modern' European languages do not have a word for expat as well....

So that Thai doesnot have it should not be a surprise!!?

Perhaps you misconstrued my post. My point was that it is sometimes difficult to ascertain whether a loan word is in general usage amongst the Thai population or whether it is only used by those Thais with some proficiency in English or those Thais working in an inter-cultural situation like a multinational company. If the word is not in general usage, how do the majority of Thais express the same idea? That is my point.

With specific regard to the word, 'expat' and all its connotations (i.e. somebody in employment here, often on a well-paid package with accommodation allowance, etc.) the most common word I have heard to express this concept is 'expat'. ฝรั่ง and คนต่างชาติ carry different and wider meanings.

[BookSanook]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this discussion.

When Thais talk about Thais living abroad, I've often heard คนไทยในต่างประเทศ, or คนไทยใน[name of country].

My wife (Thai) who has lived in the US agrees with Peppy but she knows there are obscure metaphors/euphemisms for คนไทยในต่างประเทศ in cyberspace. However they are so obscure she cannot remember one off the top of her head.

... 'เอกซ์แพท' or 'expat' is fairly widely used as a loan word.

As Briggsy suggested this word may be bandied about, but, at what point does its usage qualify it to be a loanword? No easy answer to that. It does not appear in any of the loanword lists that I have read.

So, as I have been reminded by another topic in the General forum . . . "I am an alien" (and a happy one at that!)

Edited June 15, 2010 by BookSanook

[mikenyork]

I have heard, among the Thai immigrant community in the US the term คนไทยอยู่นอก but it doesn't have the same connotation as expat, I admit. I have never, personally heard the word expat used as a borrowed word (tap sap) and doubt that it would be understood outside the circles of Thais who deal extensively with .....um.....expats