This Seems To Be A Very Strange Forum

[Astec]

I posted a topic yesterday asking for help with a Thai word. The word in question has been used by the Yellow people to describe the Red people and I'd like to know what it is.

I can't reply because my topic is already 'locked'. Not sure what this is all about so I had to start another one.

Instead, even though this is a Language Forum I got a couple of lectures on how to behave. Thanks for the advice guys but this is the language forum, I imagine there is an etiquette forum somewhere else.

The most intriguing thing to me was although use of the Thai word for 'hillbilly' appear to be a hot-button issue I notice that people here, including one of those that replied to me are happy to use the word 'farang' with abandon.

Farang is a perjorative word, please don't try pretending it isn't. There are legitimate words in Thai to describe western people, and this isn't it.

I would like to discuss this, if the moderators will allow me. Seems like a legitimate issue.

[mikenyork]

Printing on paper all that has been written about the word farang would only make global warming much worse. I began studying Thai in 1964. I have spent my entire adult life in the Thai community (admittedly an overseas community, primarily, but now here in Thailand for five years). Farang definitely means "outsider", as in "not an Asian", but it is not in any meaningful way a pejorative term. Do some Thais hate "farangs"? Sure. Is there racism here? Well, as far as I know, racism exists in every single place where human beings live, so, yeah. Everyone can make their own evaluation of the extent of such racism. My own experience is that there is much less racism here than a lot of other places. Does the average Thai feel that he/she is using a racial epithet(such as "jek" or "ay meud" which are real racial epithets) when they call someone a "farang"? Absolutely not. There are insulting words for us. "Farang sathun" and "Farang Khii nok" come to mind. But farang on its own? No. We are treated differently from how we would be if we were foreign Asians or Africans or South Asians. And we are certainly treated differently from how we would be treated if we were Thai. Sometimes this works to our disadvantage. Much more often, it redounds to our advantage.

[p_brownstone]

Well obviously no one here can teach or advise you on anything, language or ettiquette - so just go ahead and use the word บ้านนอก - Baan nork - to the parties you wish to insult.

Finally, here's a freebie for you, since I am pretty sure you will need this word shortly afterwards - โรงพยาบาล - Rong Piyabaan -.

:jap:

Patrick

[NaiGreg]

Only hillbillies believe that "farang" is pejorative.

[Tywais]

You're wrong about the term "farang" as it depends entirely on context. In any case, both your disparaging questions have been removed/closed and opening another one to comment on moderation is against forum rules.

//Closed//