How Do You Spell Falang?

[andrewbkk]

In the Sunday 3rd July edition of The Nation newspaper, page 9A sports section, there is a large font headline about "Singha Esan" golf tournament

Great post. Thanks.

Some background info ...............

A guy wrote to me from one of those fake finance companies. I then noticed that he was using an email address I had ONLY given to a Thai girl I had just started dating. I liked her a lot.

Then I noticed that his written English was very similar to that of the Thai girl.

He sid he was American, but he wasn't. He used the word "Essan". I'd never seen that spelling before. Farangs almost always use "Isaan" or something similar.

He lied to me about how he'd got my email address.

And at that point I realized he was probably the brother of the Thai girl.

After that, I assume you were a "falongone ".

Yeah -- I farucked off immediately.

But that girl really was a farucking bitch. Actually, should that be falucking bitch?

I can never get my head around these Hindi transliterations.

Edited July 5, 2011 by andrewbkk

[CosmicSurfer]

The only people who can possibly believe that Suvarnabhumi is the correct spelling for Suwannapoom, has no ideas of the Rules of READING and Pronunciation in the English language...

.. Or is a Thai ... who thinks that Their misinterpretation is correct because some idiot who made the Original error, and "Must know", as he was a Thai pseudo-intellectual who was in some high position that he was Awarded, but never Earned, and he said so!

The same lack of reasoning applies to all other Amazing Misinterpretations, Mispronunciations and Misspellings.

Buffaloes,

CS

OMG the arrogance. I would bet 10,000 baht I know your nationality.Did you crack open a Bud yesterday?

If you take the time to understand the word 'transliteration'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transliteration#Difference_from_transcription

note the difference between 'trasliteration' and 'transcription.'

It is spelled like that so as THAIS can look at it and then TRANSLITERATE back to the Thai language.

When you can let it be the way it is and not how you've decided it should be, you can begin to see that the only thing making you unhappy is your idea about how it should be.

I'll take that bet....

As I come from a Culture where "Common Sense" and "Logic" are used and taught.. I also Call into question any argument that says that ...

It is spelled like that so as THAIS can look at it and then TRANSLITERATE back to the Thai language.

Only in the land of buffaloes would an argument be made that Thais in Thailand would need, want or make any effort to "TRANSLITERATE" any English sign, back into THAI when the Thai script is on the Same Sign ALREADY!!!! The ONLY purpose to put the location names on the signs in the first place are for Foreigners, NOT Thais... Duhhh!

Transliteration is ONLY applicable in the purpose you correctly state, when the Local Ethnic script is generally un-understandable to Foreigners and the only way to help a non-local understand the Directions/Location the sign is presenting it in a Transliterated fashion.... But the Issue is not the act of transliteration, but the execution... By Using incorrect Thai to ENGLISH transliteration, they are helping no one other than the people who get a Big Laugh over these kind of things.

Transliteration into the bastardized form of pronunciation Thais use, that makes No sense under English language rules, is just totally illogical and self-defeating, beside it being simply Wrong! And this argument is, by the way, the main reason "Suvarnabhumi" is Totally Wrong spelling for "Suwannapoom"... as the ONLY People READING this English language sign are Foreigners unfamiliar with Thai language or script.... and is exactly why there are very few English signs on Bangkok Buses.. being as, as every Thai knows.. Foreigners are all rich and have no need to take a bus!

To an English Speaker/Reader trying to read Suvarnabhumi as Suwannapoom is completely impossible.. and I will bet 1,000,000 Baht that NO Foreigner, whether Native English speaking, French, Chinese or Eskimo, could read and pronounce this word correctly if they didn't already have foreknowledge/exposure.

The only thing that makes me unhappy are twisted arguments based on appeasement rather than the facts of application.

Like I said... Buffaloes,

CS

Edited July 5, 2011 by CosmicSurfer

[dunkin2012]

It is spelled: Bak-sida

means a fruit,Guava.

Edited July 5, 2011 by dunkin2012

[CosmicSurfer]

The only people who can possibly believe that Suvarnabhumi is the correct spelling for Suwannapoom, has no ideas of the Rules of READING and Pronunciation in the English language...

CS

Actually the spelling Suvarnabhumi tries to show the Thai spelling, as well as indicating the way to say it. If you realise that all Vs are pronounced as a W, The B sound and P sound are almost indistinguishable (in fact the sound ir somewhere between the two) and that the final I is not prounounced in Thai (much like the final A is not pronounced in Singha), then you come to the right pronunciation.

One other problem is that native English speakers from different parts of the world (or different parts of the UK) often pronounce their vowels differently. Think of the northern British "bath" as opposed to the southern British (northern A as in bat, southern as in are). The open and closed sounds of the letter U in words like "bus" (northern as in foot, southern as in putt). Then there is the difference between the US and UK versions of the short O as in "got" (to me the US pronunciation sounds more like "gart"). With all these, and several other differences, it's almost impossible to create a satisfactory method of transliteration.

As any native English speaker knows... Whether you pronounce it Farm, or Fam, Or Fom... is totally irrelevant in a Written Word meant to be READ.. as it is spelled F.A.R.M no matter where in the world you are from and what accent you use... Which is also why a Cantonese speaker and a Mandarin speaker can both communicate in a written media, even if they can't make themselves understood Orally... Both Chinese Dialects have different pronunciation rules, but a common Written format.

When speaking to a Thai Person, the Pronunciation and Tone are the relevant factors.. Not the spelling, as so few Thais can understand English written words anyway.

And being as most Farangs/Falangs have 'Common Sense' and 'Logic' in their DNA, we have enough creativity to understand that no matter how it is spelled, with or without an "L" or an "R", they BOTH have the same meaning.

But there is no Chance in the world that an English Speaker/Reader trying to read 'Suvarnabhumi' would ever come up with the pronunciation of 'Suwannapoom' .. and, as I said above, I will bet 1,000,000 Baht that NO Foreigner, whether Native English speaking, French, Chinese or Eskimo, could read and pronounce this word correctly if they didn't already have foreknowledge/exposure.

CS

[dunkin2012]

But there is no Chance in the world that an English Speaker/Reader trying to read 'Suvarnabhumi' would ever come up with the pronunciation of 'Suwannapoom' .. and, as I said above, I will bet 1,000,000 Baht that NO Foreigner, whether Native English speaking, French, Chinese or Eskimo, could read and pronounce this word correctly if they didn't already have foreknowledge/exposure.

CS

'Suvarnabhumi' would ever come up with the pronunciation of 'Suwannapoom' .

totally, agree !!!!!!!! the sound resembles an elephant fart ....

Edited July 5, 2011 by dunkin2012

[StreetCowboy]

Furlong

Falling

Foaling

Flying

Flaying

Falung

Fairing

Faring

Failing

I suppose it depends on what word you are looking for...

To avoid confusion, just say guava

SC

I thought Essan girls worked for Esso...

[andrewbkk]

I thought Essan girls worked for Esso...

No, the girls who work at Esso are generally from Esson. As you probably know, Esson includes many of the provinces close to the Cambodian border. The Hindi transliteration is "Essontian", but many people prefer to use the Arabic term "Esson-bhumi'. According to language experts, the latter term more is more correct.

Next time I write I will bore you with details of new girlfriend who comes from Essun. She's lovely and she tells me that she's honest. I see no reason to doubt her.

[wolf5370]

Really?

There is an official translated script?

I can see what your getting at as most text books say " perhaps it can most satisfactorily be translated as western or westerner, referring to restaurant signs.

The way to me it is spelled in Thai comes out as " frang " but I believe in some Thai spelt words they leave out vowels as it is obvious to what the word is.

In Thai there are not very many occasions that consonat sounds can be compounded like they are in English (and even then the second is often left out of speech - "glai' for example pronounced as 'gai' - 'gluay' pronounced as 'guay' etc) - 'fr' is not one of them, so the 'f' sound will be part of its own syllable 'fa' and 'rung' would then be the second syllable. This is the same reason why Sprite is pronounced "Sa-bite".

[StreetCowboy]

I thought Essan girls worked for Esso...

No, the girls who work at Esso are generally from Esson. As you probably know, Esson includes many of the provinces close to the Cambodian border. The Hindi transliteration is "Essontian", but many people prefer to use the Arabic term "Esson-bhumi'. According to language experts, the latter term more is more correct.

Next time I write I will bore you with details of new girlfriend who comes from Essun. She's lovely and she tells me that she's honest. I see no reason to doubt her.

I thought the Hindi transliteration was 'essential', or in arabic 'essence', because the first western people to arrive in that part of Thailand were Germans from Essen.

Your girlfriend tells me she is honest as well.

Essee

[saraburioz]

Really?

There is an official translated script?

I can see what your getting at as most text books say " perhaps it can most satisfactorily be translated as western or westerner, referring to restaurant signs.

The way to me it is spelled in Thai comes out as " frang " but I believe in some Thai spelt words they leave out vowels as it is obvious to what the word is.

In Thai there are not very many occasions that consonat sounds can be compounded like they are in English (and even then the second is often left out of speech - "glai' for example pronounced as 'gai' - 'gluay' pronounced as 'guay' etc) - 'fr' is not one of them, so the 'f' sound will be part of its own syllable 'fa' and 'rung' would then be the second syllable. This is the same reason why Sprite is pronounced "Sa-bite".

really - i say 'gluay' i say "glong", "grong", "glai", "grungthep" etc

[barky]

Up to you, since there are no official way to translate Thai scrips into our type

Yes there is.

As he says, there is: Royal Thai General System of Transcription.

Oh that's the RTGST that no Thai refers to. The standard is...."there IS no standard".

[happyrobert]

The only people who can possibly believe that Suvarnabhumi is the correct spelling for Suwannapoom, has no ideas of the Rules of READING and Pronunciation in the English language...

.. Or is a Thai ... who thinks that Their misinterpretation is correct because some idiot who made the Original error, and "Must know", as he was a Thai pseudo-intellectual who was in some high position that he was Awarded, but never Earned, and he said so!

The same lack of reasoning applies to all other Amazing Misinterpretations, Mispronunciations and Misspellings.

Buffaloes,

CS

OMG the arrogance. I would bet 10,000 baht I know your nationality.Did you crack open a Bud yesterday?

If you take the time to understand the word 'transliteration'.

http://en.wikipedia....m_transcription

note the difference between 'trasliteration' and 'transcription.'

It is spelled like that so as THAIS can look at it and then TRANSLITERATE back to the Thai language.

When you can let it be the way it is and not how you've decided it should be, you can begin to see that the only thing making you unhappy is your idea about how it should be.

I'll take that bet....

As I come from a Culture where "Common Sense" and "Logic" are used and taught.. I also Call into question any argument that says that ...

It is spelled like that so as THAIS can look at it and then TRANSLITERATE back to the Thai language.

Only in the land of buffaloes would an argument be made that Thais in Thailand would need, want or make any effort to "TRANSLITERATE" any English sign, back into THAI when the Thai script is on the Same Sign ALREADY!!!! The ONLY purpose to put the location names on the signs in the first place are for Foreigners, NOT Thais... Duhhh!

Transliteration is ONLY applicable in the purpose you correctly state, when the Local Ethnic script is generally un-understandable to Foreigners and the only way to help a non-local understand the Directions/Location the sign is presenting it in a Transliterated fashion.... But the Issue is not the act of transliteration, but the execution... By Using incorrect Thai to ENGLISH transliteration, they are helping no one other than the people who get a Big Laugh over these kind of things.

Transliteration into the bastardized form of pronunciation Thais use, that makes No sense under English language rules, is just totally illogical and self-defeating, beside it being simply Wrong! And this argument is, by the way, the main reason "Suvarnabhumi" is Totally Wrong spelling for "Suwannapoom"... as the ONLY People READING this English language sign are Foreigners unfamiliar with Thai language or script.... and is exactly why there are very few English signs on Bangkok Buses.. being as, as every Thai knows.. Foreigners are all rich and have no need to take a bus!

To an English Speaker/Reader trying to read Suvarnabhumi as Suwannapoom is completely impossible.. and I will bet 1,000,000 Baht that NO Foreigner, whether Native English speaking, French, Chinese or Eskimo, could read and pronounce this word correctly if they didn't already have foreknowledge/exposure.

The only thing that makes me unhappy are twisted arguments based on appeasement rather than the facts of application.

Like I said... Buffaloes,

CS

Someone once said that one can not truly understand their mother tongue until they speak someone else's. So keep trying.

Oh, by the way, the plural for buffalo is, um, buffalo.

Not buffaloes.

EDIT: Add smiley:

Edited July 9, 2011 by happyrobert

[rayong09]

I walked into a motorcycle shop to buy some oil for my bike last week in one of them shack type places you see in some sois. I walked in and guy shouts falang! Everyone stops working and all eyes are on me. I picked a small container of oil from the shelf looked at the price and handed over 500 baht. Guy gives me change and 100 baht short. I ask him neung roy khrap and he hands me a 100 baht note grinning like a Cheshire cat, unbelievable.

Whatever way you want to spell it or pronounce it farang or falang it means money alert.

[CosmicSurfer]

The only people who can possibly believe that Suvarnabhumi is the correct spelling for Suwannapoom, has no ideas of the Rules of READING and Pronunciation in the English language...

.. Or is a Thai ... who thinks that Their misinterpretation is correct because some idiot who made the Original error, and "Must know", as he was a Thai pseudo-intellectual who was in some high position that he was Awarded, but never Earned, and he said so!

The same lack of reasoning applies to all other Amazing Misinterpretations, Mispronunciations and Misspellings.

Buffaloes,

CS

OMG the arrogance. I would bet 10,000 baht I know your nationality.Did you crack open a Bud yesterday?

If you take the time to understand the word 'transliteration'.

http://en.wikipedia....m_transcription

note the difference between 'trasliteration' and 'transcription.'

It is spelled like that so as THAIS can look at it and then TRANSLITERATE back to the Thai language.

When you can let it be the way it is and not how you've decided it should be, you can begin to see that the only thing making you unhappy is your idea about how it should be.

I'll take that bet....

Only in the land of buffaloes would an argument be made that Thais in Thailand would need, want or make any effort to "TRANSLITERATE" any English sign, back into THAI when the Thai script is on the Same Sign ALREADY!!!! The ONLY purpose to put the location names on the signs in the first place are for Foreigners, NOT Thais... Duhhh!

Transliteration is ONLY applicable in the purpose you correctly state, when the Local Ethnic script is generally un-understandable to Foreigners and the only way to help a non-local understand the Directions/Location the sign is presenting it in a Transliterated fashion.... But the Issue is not the act of transliteration, but the execution... By Using incorrect Thai to ENGLISH transliteration, they are helping no one other than the people who get a Big Laugh over these kind of things.

Transliteration into the bastardized form of pronunciation Thais use, that makes No sense under English language rules, is just totally illogical and self-defeating, beside it being simply Wrong! And this argument is, by the way, the main reason "Suvarnabhumi" is Totally Wrong spelling for "Suwannapoom"... as the ONLY People READING this English language sign are Foreigners unfamiliar with Thai language or script.... and is exactly why there are very few English signs on Bangkok Buses.. being as, as every Thai knows.. Foreigners are all rich and have no need to take a bus!

To an English Speaker/Reader trying to read Suvarnabhumi as Suwannapoom is completely impossible.. and I will bet 1,000,000 Baht that NO Foreigner, whether Native English speaking, French, Chinese or Eskimo, could read and pronounce this word correctly if they didn't already have foreknowledge/exposure.

The only thing that makes me unhappy are twisted arguments based on appeasement rather than the facts of application.

Like I said... Buffaloes,

CS

Someone once said that one can not truly understand their mother tongue until they speak someone else's. So keep trying.

Oh, by the way, the plural for buffalo is, um, buffalo.

Not buffaloes.

EDIT: Add smiley:

....... Buffalo

buf·fa·lo

[buhf-uh-loh] noun, plural -loes, -los, ( especially collectively ) -lo, verb, -loed, -lo·ing.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/buffalo

buf·fa·lo

n. pl. buffalo or buf·fa·loes or buf·fa·los

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Buffalo

buf·fa·lo

noun, often attributive \ˈbə-fə-ˌlō\

plural buf·fa·lo or buf·fa·loes, also buf·fa·los

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buffalo?show=0&t=1310223824

What was that about Understanding and Keep Trying....

I think I can recall someone once saying something about "Glass Houses..."

Like I said... "Buffaloes"

So it was written... So it was done!

CS

Edited July 9, 2011 by CosmicSurfer

[happyrobert]

Well, I'm buffaloed by the fact that the writers of dictionaries can not pick one and stick with it!

I'll always buy two dozen shrimp--not shrimps-- filet my own fish--not fishes, and keep an eye on my neighbor's buffalo for him when he goes to town.

And I never heard Bob and the Wailers sing, "Buffaloes Soldier." I'll go with Bob, not Oxford. (Ox? Hmmm)

[CosmicSurfer]

Well, I'm buffaloed by the fact that the writers of dictionaries can not pick one and stick with it!

I'll always buy two dozen shrimp--not shrimps-- filet my own fish--not fishes, and keep an eye on my neighbor's buffalo for him when he goes to town.

And I never heard Bob and the Wailers sing, "Buffaloes Soldier." I'll go with Bob, not Oxford. (Ox? Hmmm)

Personally, I too prefer Buffalo when it come to Mr. Marley's Song... and I also generally do use Buffalo, Fish, and Shrimp to denote the plural, in some (most) situations... but somehow, for the particular usage and context of This Thread and These posts.. it seemed more appropriate to use the equally correct Buffalloes...

However, "Fishes" does always feel wrong and is hard for me to vocalize.. even though it is accepted and correct.

People (wholly plural) and Sheep (both plural and singular) are two examples where '..s' or '..es' Is NEVER acceptable.

CS

PS.... For Bob Marley's "Buffalo Soldiers".. This is a 2-Part or compound noun, and the 'Buffalo' involved is actually not a Buffalo in fact.. it is also not a noun.. Here it is being used as an Adjective to describe the Noun "Soldier".. which Is plural and uses the 's'.. Adjectives are Never plural. Buffaloed again!

Edited July 10, 2011 by CosmicSurfer

[happyrobert]

Well, I'm buffaloed by the fact that the writers of dictionaries can not pick one and stick with it!

I'll always buy two dozen shrimp--not shrimps-- filet my own fish--not fishes, and keep an eye on my neighbor's buffalo for him when he goes to town.

And I never heard Bob and the Wailers sing, "Buffaloes Soldier." I'll go with Bob, not Oxford. (Ox? Hmmm)

Personally, I too prefer Buffalo when it come to Mr. Marley's Song... and I also generally do use Buffalo, Fish, and Shrimp to denote the plural, in some (most) situations... but somehow, for the particular usage and context of This Thread and These posts.. it seemed more appropriate to use the equally correct Buffalloes...

However, "Fishes" does always feel wrong and is hard for me to vocalize.. even though it is accepted and correct.

People (wholly plural) and Sheep (both plural and singular) are two examples where '..s' or '..es' Is NEVER acceptable.

CS

PS.... For Bob Marley's "Buffalo Soldiers".. This is a 2-Part or compound noun, and the 'Buffalo' involved is actually not a Buffalo in fact.. it is also not a noun.. Here it is being used as an Adjective to describe the Noun "Soldier".. which Is plural and uses the 's'.. Adjectives are Never plural. Buffaloed again!

So we can stay on topic here, I spell farang: A-T-M.

[CosmicSurfer]

Well, I'm buffaloed by the fact that the writers of dictionaries can not pick one and stick with it!

I'll always buy two dozen shrimp--not shrimps-- filet my own fish--not fishes, and keep an eye on my neighbor's buffalo for him when he goes to town.

And I never heard Bob and the Wailers sing, "Buffaloes Soldier." I'll go with Bob, not Oxford. (Ox? Hmmm)

Personally, I too prefer Buffalo when it come to Mr. Marley's Song... and I also generally do use Buffalo, Fish, and Shrimp to denote the plural, in some (most) situations... but somehow, for the particular usage and context of This Thread and These posts.. it seemed more appropriate to use the equally correct Buffalloes...

However, "Fishes" does always feel wrong and is hard for me to vocalize.. even though it is accepted and correct.

People (wholly plural) and Sheep (both plural and singular) are two examples where '..s' or '..es' Is NEVER acceptable.

CS

PS.... For Bob Marley's "Buffalo Soldiers".. This is a 2-Part or compound noun, and the 'Buffalo' involved is actually not a Buffalo in fact.. it is also not a noun.. Here it is being used as an Adjective to describe the Noun "Soldier".. which Is plural and uses the 's'.. Adjectives are Never plural. Buffaloed again!

So we can stay on topic here, I spell farang: A-T-M.

[Puccini]

Thai people normally can't speak the letter "r"...

Wrong. It may be true for some parts of the country and some Thai people but certainly does not apply to all Thais.

[danbradster]

Pronounced correctly in Isaan - Farung

Pronounced lazily in Isaan - Falung

I think...

[jombom]

Farang is the correct spelling, but it may be pronounced as Falang. Variations depending on dialect are also possible such as Farong, Falong, Farung, Falung, etc blah blah.

Here you go --- from Wikipedia

Legacy

Because the Frankish kingdom ("France" name origin) dominated Western Europe for centuries, terms derived from "Frank" were used by many in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and beyond as a synonym for Roman Christians (e.g., al-Faranj in Arabic, farangi in Persian, Frenk in Turkish, Feringhi in Hindustani, and Frangos in Greek). See also Thai ฝรั่ง Farang.^[30] During the crusades, which were at first led mostly by nobles from northern France who claimed descent from Charlemagne, both Muslims and Christians used these terms as ethnonyms to describe the Crusaders. Another term with similar use was "Latins" (cf. the Latin Empire). This usage is often followed by modern historians, who call Western Europeans in the eastern Mediterranean "Franks" or "Latins" regardless of their country of origin. Compare with Rhomaios, Rûmi ("Roman"), used for Orthodox Christians. Catholics on various islands in Greece are still referred to as Φράγκοι, "Frangoi" (Franks). Examples include the naming of a Catholic from the island of Syros as "Frangosyrianos" (Φραγκοσυριανός). The term Frangistan was used by Muslims to refer to the land where the Crusaders came from, i.e. Christian Europe.

Mediterranean Lingua Franca ("Frankish language") was a pidgin spoken among "Franks" and Muslims in the Mediterranean ports. "Frank" may also have originated from Pomeranian "Franks" and Teutonic Knights from that region, another explanation for the slang term "Pom."

[Thaddeus]

Wiki.... the I pity me of all knowledge.

[StreetCowboy]

Wiki.... the I pity me of all knowledge.

Wiki is like a small village in County Durham?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pity_Me

SX

[Thaddeus]

Wiki.... the I pity me of all knowledge.

Wiki is like a small village in County Durham?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pity_Me

SX

If it is next to the township of Epitome, possibly.

God knows how I pressed the I key instead of an E, even during a 4am semi darkness toilet dash, I mean it's not like they are as close as the X and C keys

[andrewbkk]

The correct spelling is ............... Pharrung.

This is according to The Royal Thai General System of Transcription, and incorporates amendments as per the "mutual transliteration treaty" between Oxford University and Chulalongkhorn University in 1974.

The spelling has also been approved by Wikipedia, and was re-confirmed by Barack Obama is his speech on May 23 2011.

[n00b]

The only people who can possibly believe that Suvarnabhumi is the correct spelling for Suwannapoom, has no ideas of the Rules of READING and Pronunciation in the English language...

.. Or is a Thai ... who thinks that Their misinterpretation is correct because some idiot who made the Original error, and "Must know", as he was a Thai pseudo-intellectual who was in some high position that he was Awarded, but never Earned, and he said so!

The same lack of reasoning applies to all other Amazing Misinterpretations, Mispronunciations and Misspellings.

Buffaloes,

CS

sùwannapuum or sùwannaphuum would be a more accurate transliteration than suwannapoom. If you use u for ุ you should use uu for ู

If you don't use ph for < Thai Script removed >you need to use something else, like bp for < Thai Script removed. >

Edited November 22, 2012 by metisdead

[McMagus]

One of my favourite subjects... transliteration as opposed to translation. The purpose, as so eloquently put by Koon KozmikSurphah is to help those who do not read Thai but can read English. Irrespective of Thai grammatical usage, the transliteration should at least approximate the sound spoken. When I first came here I was driving around and asking directions for ... wait for it .... SI NA KA RIN DRA because that was what was written on the dam_n highway sign. As for the 'r' and the 'l', I am given to understand that in 1947 (I think) the central govt. banned the use of Laos / Issan in all schools etc. in the north, which effectively made central Thai a kind of 2nd language. From what I observe, I feel that the use of 'l' instead of 'r' is looked down on as a sign of lower class speech which would tie in with Thailand's hierarchical social structure.

[uptheos]

Thai people normally can't speak the letter "r".

Then it's about time they revised the alphabet.

[FritsSikkink]

Thai word is ฝรั่ง. The second letter is ra-rua or R in english. Farang would be the normal way to spell this word in english.

not ra rua but ro rua

[DrTuner]

When I'm in my BKK Hi-So mode, Farang, when doing the Isaan Lo-So thingy, Falang.