Sick Of Being Called 'Papa'

[Lancelot]

...I have to admit that it gets on my nerves that they are so dense that they don't realize that it is just plain annoying and pretty much guaranteed to chase any suckers off.

U summed it up nicely

[Lancelot]

I'm sick to death of being called 'Papa' everywhere I go. OK, so I'm on the wrong side of 60, but if I tell somebody my name, I expect them to use it and not revert to calling me 'Papa' again

To be brutally honest, at your age you should perhaps count yourself lucky that anyone more than ten years younger than you recognises your presence in their company, let alone speaks to you.

You must have some really sweet and loyal friends GH

[GuestHouse]

I'm sick to death of being called 'Papa' everywhere I go. OK, so I'm on the wrong side of 60, but if I tell somebody my name, I expect them to use it and not revert to calling me 'Papa' again

To be brutally honest, at your age you should perhaps count yourself lucky that anyone more than ten years younger than you recognises your presence in their company, let alone speaks to you.

You must have some really sweet and loyal friends GH

I don't know how you deduce that, but I'm sure many an old western guy living in Thailand knows the truth of what I've said here - that being the reason why they came here in the firs place.

Edited December 16, 2010 by GuestHouse

[MidoriApple]

When I hear 'Papa' from my chldren it is the most lovely sound in the world.

Same here. My 2 year old Daughter calls me Papa and I love it.

We do grow out of it.

Bit like you mrs calling you honey for years which turns into ' oui '.

What is 'oui'?

Ahaha... :D call 'Papa'? Such a lovely calling word..

Sorry that I laughed. I think girls meant

no harm to you. Thais always call other people as if they are the relatives. I call waitress as "Nong" (sister), call Street-fruit-man as "Pii" (brother), call old lady who is my customer as "Khun Yay" (granny), I also call my BF as "LungLek" (Uncle Lex), he didn't like at first but now he becomes OK

OP, is better than they call you "Uncle" or "Grand-daddy", isn't it? Should take this more easy.. It's culture thing.. They called you with full of respect and admire.

Ehhhhh...or girls meant to call you "Paa khaaa" ((lower voice); Paa = Sugar Daddy; Khaa = polite word (female-use) but pronounce it more longer than usual, to make word more sweet.... Can be!

[Lancelot]

I'm sick to death of being called 'Papa' everywhere I go. OK, so I'm on the wrong side of 60, but if I tell somebody my name, I expect them to use it and not revert to calling me 'Papa' again

To be brutally honest, at your age you should perhaps count yourself lucky that anyone more than ten years younger than you recognises your presence in their company, let alone speaks to you.

You must have some really sweet and loyal friends GH

I don't know how you deduce that, but I'm sure many an old western guy living in Thailand knows the truth of what I've said here - that being the reason why they came here in the firs place.

I was referencing your brutally honest comment "...any one more than ten years younger..." Is not Thai culture one in which it respects its elders? So if I am 50 and a lady 30 years old ignores me because of my age is that good manners? Well she can address me how ever she wishes but I would not care to socialize with her there after.

The papa thing is sort of like calling a woman a "girl" after hse has said that she does not wish to be addressed as such. Any way, manners be damned and all foreign males past the advanced age of 29 are now officially "Papa"

[pipo1000]

I call waitress as "Nong" (sister), call Street-fruit-man as "Pii" (brother), call old lady who is my customer as "Khun Yay" (granny), I also call my BF as "LungLek" (Uncle Lex), he didn't like at first but now he becomes OK

You are very fluent in Thai aren't you..................at least that is what you think

[GuestHouse]

I was referencing your brutally honest comment "...any one more than ten years younger..." Is not Thai culture one in which it respects its elders? So if I am 50 and a lady 30 years old ignores me because of my age is that good manners? Well she can address me how ever she wishes but I would not care to socialize with her there after.

The papa thing is sort of like calling a woman a "girl" after hse has said that she does not wish to be addressed as such. Any way, manners be damned and all foreign males past the advanced age of 29 are now officially "Papa"

Take a trip back to the old country and see if anyone even notices you, let alone speaks to you........... excuse the emoticon ......

[MidoriApple]

Yes, I am "excellent" in Thai.

...Coz I am Thai.

[Sophon]

I call waitress as "Nong" (sister), call Street-fruit-man as "Pii" (brother), call old lady who is my customer as "Khun Yay" (granny), I also call my BF as "LungLek" (Uncle Lex), he didn't like at first but now he becomes OK

You are very fluent in Thai aren't you..................at least that is what you think

Now you are just making a fool of yourself. Had you been here a little longer you would have known that MidoriApple is in fact Thai

Sophon

[pipo1000]

Yes, I am "excellent" in Thai.

...Coz I am Thai.

Well I'm not a Thai and for sure not fluent in Thai,but what I learned so far was that "Nong" means younger and "Pii" older and "Lek" small.Otherwise how you explain people calling an older lady "Pii".Hardly can believe they call her brother.

[GuestHouse]

I call waitress as "Nong" (sister), call Street-fruit-man as "Pii" (brother), call old lady who is my customer as "Khun Yay" (granny), I also call my BF as "LungLek" (Uncle Lex), he didn't like at first but now he becomes OK

You are very fluent in Thai aren't you..................at least that is what you think

Now you are just making a fool of yourself. Had you been here a little longer you would have known that MidoriApple is in fact Thai

Sophon

Yes, but we should never discount the value of a different point of view - Being Thai is not like being the Pope - Fallibility is with us all.

[473geo]

Any way, manners be damned and all foreign males past the advanced age of 29 are now officially "Papa"

Unfortunately not in my case, when the cousin of my son took it on himself to call me Papa........he was told very quickly by my son that I was not his Papa.......so you see I am a protected species.....anybody forgetting this is likely to suffer a stern rebuff from my son......It would appear I am 'officially' Papa to my two children only......

[MiG16]

Pipo

Nong means younger brother or younger sister

Pii means older brother or older sister

(Thai language is not gender based hence the term Nongcan be used for either sister OR brother. However we do make distinction between the older and the younger.

It is the same with aunt/uncle. Thai language uses different words for an aunt who is mom's younger sis versus mom's older sis)

But I digress way off topic. Thai class over

[JUDAS]

I call waitress as "Nong" (sister), call Street-fruit-man as "Pii" (brother), call old lady who is my customer as "Khun Yay" (granny), I also call my BF as "LungLek" (Uncle Lex), he didn't like at first but now he becomes OK

You are very fluent in Thai aren't you..................at least that is what you think

Now you are just making a fool of yourself. Had you been here a little longer you would have known that MidoriApple is in fact Thai

Sophon

Yes, but we should never discount the value of a different point of view - Being Thai is not like being the Pope - Fallibility is with us all.

Forgive me father GH for I have sinned

Edited December 16, 2010 by JUDAS

[MidoriApple]

I call waitress as "Nong" (sister), call Street-fruit-man as "Pii" (brother), call old lady who is my customer as "Khun Yay" (granny), I also call my BF as "LungLek" (Uncle Lex), he didn't like at first but now he becomes OK

You are very fluent in Thai aren't you..................at least that is what you think

Now you are just making a fool of yourself. Had you been here a little longer you would have known that MidoriApple is in fact Thai

Sophon

Yes, but we should never discount the value of a different point of view - Being Thai is not like being the Pope - Fallibility is with us all.

Thank you, Sophon

Exactly, GH ..definitely agree with you..

Pipo1000, what you have understanding are correct all.

But Thais also call others, although when first time meeting as;-

"Nong" if they look younger,

"Pii" if they are older, and/or call them with respect.

We call "Khun Ta & Khun Yay" to old man & old woman/lady, Ta = grandfather, Yay = grandmother.. I put word "Khun" as if it's prefix, meant to be more polite.

Not all that we call, but mostly..

Don't believe? You may try calling waitress-girl as "Nong..nong..May I have a cup of coffee, please" Sure, she will smile and think you're so polite

Yes, Lek means "small, little", my BF's name is Alex. I am sure my people can't accent nasal words, would be easier if I try my BF having Thai easy name. Some Thais use name as "Lek" also.. Very common.

You said you are not fluent, but I see you have interest in learning to know Thai language. Hey, this is nice.../Cheers

[IanForbes]

I don't care what anyone calls me. I have a friend who owns a Thai bar. All the staff call him Papa out of respect and admiration. I know they all love him by the way they treat him. I've even given to calling myself "Pops" to my kids and grandkids. If someone calls me a name with nasty implications then that is THEIR problem, not mine.

[F1fanatic]

I don't care what anyone calls me. I have a friend who owns a Thai bar. All the staff call him Papa out of respect and admiration. I know they all love him by the way they treat him. I've even given to calling myself "Pops" to my kids and grandkids. If someone calls me a name with nasty implications then that is THEIR problem, not mine.

Quite. As long as you continue to believe that you'll be happy.

[Beetlejuice]

I call waitress as "Nong" (sister), call Street-fruit-man as "Pii" (brother), call old lady who is my customer as "Khun Yay" (granny), I also call my BF as "LungLek" (Uncle Lex), he didn't like at first but now he becomes OK

You are very fluent in Thai aren't you..................at least that is what you think

Now you are just making a fool of yourself. Had you been here a little longer you would have known that MidoriApple is in fact Thai

Sophon

Yes, I`m sorry but that was the wrong answer. You are the weakest link.

Therefore you have lost tonights star prize of a 2 hour session with 3 lolitas at the house of the Rising Sun executive club in Bangkok, but you do qualify for our second prize of a one weeks course of botox injections, plus a hair transplant and 2 months supply of viagra that is guaranteed to enhance your life and make you feel 15 years younger.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Beetlejuice

[elliss]

Yeh that too. My wife son who talks to his dad on the phone calls me farang , that pisses me off.

being called farang / foreigner that pisses me RITE off,

but when it comes down to the nitty gritty ,

thats what we are , to the thais .

like it or frkng lump it .

PAPA :jap:

[bina]

most thais taht i know will never call someone by their first name unless they are in the same age or occupational group. i am pee nang (sister in law)- an honourary title since anon is younger then me by 10 yrs but most of his friends are nong to him, so he is pee so i become the elder sister in law (they are all mostly korat so seem themselves as brothers here). to the few older thais here, i am many variations of the auntie/older sister/lady missus. very few will call me bina. anon doesnt remember any of my freinds names, they are all 'pee sou' or 'mee (of eyal/amit or other kids' names) i.e. mother of...; or they are 'boss' or 'papa' or 'uncle' .

btw, here it is also considered quite polite to give titles like uncle or auntie. ive moved up from being a 'nice lady' to a 'auntie' as in: ask the nice lady for a rabbit - to - ask auntie for a rabbit. whats the big deal> its better then being called, 'hey you, whats'r name?', 'or 'yosefa' (the equivalent of 'missy', 'jane' 'the wife', a sort of name if u dont remember an older lady's name)...

bina

[WeeGB]

Op, Life is way too short to let such trivial things bug you. Why not try some reverse psychology on yourself......if everyone calls you Papa, that must mean you're the Daddy!!

[Jingthing]

I am in the transition phase, where I look enough the "Papa" to get that honorific from a few Thais who say such things, but not most. At this point, as it is coming on gradually, I find it a little comforting, like a gentle welcome to real old age when you look like "Papa" to everyone, here it comes, ready or not, but not too fast please. I can't say how I will feel when I am a certifiable Papa. It reminds me a little of how it felt in the states when I was old enough for people to call me Sir, a lot. That I never liked so much, as it reeks of respectability, a truly odious thing.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Jingthing

[jazzbo]

My un-official almost 4 year old girl does not call me 'papa' as in the western old guy but pa-PAAAAH which has a completely different ring to it.

If a younger Thai female (who doesn't speak English) calls me continually something like 'papa' then I introduce her to the meaning of the moniker 'BITCH'

[Forethat]

When I hear 'Papa' from my chldren it is the most lovely sound in the world.

Hear hear!!

[Scully]

When I hear 'Papa' from my chldren it is the most lovely sound in the world.

My GF's son calls me Papa however he is only four and has grown with me for three years and being such a young age doesn't quite ubderstand I am not his real dad ie why is papa farrang. He has also big eyes and everyone presumes he is mine anyway and I have to agree having no kids it got a bit of getting use to but have to agree iy is a nice name to be called.

I am mid thirties though and have never been called papa by anyone else, I suggest a full face lift.

[Loz]

move to mexico. "Papi", sounds much more hip!

[Jingthing]

move to mexico. "Papi", sounds much more hip!

That is so true. Maybe we can start a movement here to switch it to Papi!

[DP25]

I feel for you man. When I go to tourist areas they sometimes call me "boy". "Hey you! Boy! You want eat steak?" "Boy, where you go?" "Boy, your mother know you here?" It's a heck of a problem.

[matchless51]

Maybe it's just your hearing aid on the blink, 'papaaappaapa', buy a new double D.

[jazzbo]

WHaaaat??