I always thought farang referred to caucasian people.

Right or wrong?

I always thought farang referred to caucasian people.

Right or wrong?

technically i guess so however i've often been part of a mixed group referred to as bunch of farangs..

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

I insist on ignoring any farang who says 'falang'.

The minute I hear someone say that, I dismiss them as a lightweight. Same for grown (white) men who emulate bar speak and talk about themselves as 'pumpoi'and their favourite activity as 'boom boom'.

God help us.

I agree with this statement, I suggest though, to skip the farang/falang word totally.

Why just not say foreigner, or their name?

Farang only retain a name within close familial circles.

Outside of this order, they'll always remain to be Farang/Foreigner - one and the same.

Those whom have long had a politically induced problem with the term and the address of "Farang" usually don't have a clue.

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

It's not quite as clear cut as that. I agree that it means caucasian, but it has derogatory undertones.

You could argue that the undertones that we perceive are through our own upbringing i.e. not to discriminate on basis of race, but the Thais I have discussed this with acknowledge that it is impolite at best.

I insist on ignoring any farang who says 'falang'.

The minute I hear someone say that, I dismiss them as a lightweight. Same for grown (white) men who emulate bar speak and talk about themselves as 'pumpoi'and their favourite activity as 'boom boom'.

God help us.

So all it takes to avoid a Bendix Broadside is to sign off off with 'falang' at the end of the post? hmmm....

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

It's not quite as clear cut as that. I agree that it means caucasian, but it has derogatory undertones.

You could argue that the undertones that we perceive are through our own upbringing i.e. not to discriminate on basis of race, but the Thais I have discussed this with acknowledge that it is impolite at best.

If it had derogatory undertones I would be smacking my wife on a daily basis. What do you want the Thais to call us then? I have no problems with being called a Farang, a Rosbif or whatever, because I have a sense of humour. You can use virtually any racial epithet in an insulting manner, come to that Christian names as well.

Sorry. I forgot, we don't say Christian names any more, that is discriminating.

If it had derogatory undertones I would be smacking my wife on a daily basis. What do you want the Thais to call us then? I have no problems with being called a Farang, a Rosbif or whatever, because I have a sense of humour. You can use virtually any racial epithet in an insulting manner, come to that Christian names as well.

Sorry. I forgot, we don't say Christian names any more, that is discriminating.

If your wife is calling you 'farang', you are up the creek without a paddle IMHO.

If it had derogatory undertones I would be smacking my wife on a daily basis. What do you want the Thais to call us then? I have no problems with being called a Farang, a Rosbif or whatever, because I have a sense of humour. You can use virtually any racial epithet in an insulting manner, come to that Christian names as well.

Sorry. I forgot, we don't say Christian names any more, that is discriminating.

If your wife is calling you 'farang', you are up the creek without a paddle IMHO.

<deleted>! My wife and I have a sense of humour...Falang Neeyap is an oft used expression...

If it had derogatory undertones I would be smacking my wife on a daily basis. What do you want the Thais to call us then? I have no problems with being called a Farang, a Rosbif or whatever, because I have a sense of humour. You can use virtually any racial epithet in an insulting manner, come to that Christian names as well.

Sorry. I forgot, we don't say Christian names any more, that is discriminating.

If your wife is calling you 'farang', you are up the creek without a paddle IMHO.

Oh dear.....

If it had derogatory undertones I would be smacking my wife on a daily basis. What do you want the Thais to call us then? I have no problems with being called a Farang, a Rosbif or whatever, because I have a sense of humour. You can use virtually any racial epithet in an insulting manner, come to that Christian names as well.

Sorry. I forgot, we don't say Christian names any more, that is discriminating.

If your wife is calling you 'farang', you are up the creek without a paddle IMHO.

I can swim though......and its all downstream after that.

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

if my girlfriend was a long legged scottish woman in Thailand I would never use the word 'farang' to describe her...'she is very cultured and from Edinburgh, and not a slattern from Glasgow...and she performs scottish dances in traditional costume in a very alluring fashion...'...

Tutsi!! Get back in your box!! Go on..Get get !!

Of course you people taking offence at being called Farang fully understand the why and wherefore surrounding the tradition of Thai nick names, where the known name is not the given first name..........

Perhaps when you have grasped the mechanics of this you may realise calling you farang is perhaps doing you a favour by retaining your anonymity as far as the spirits are concerned.....

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

if my girlfriend was a long legged scottish woman in Thailand I would never use the word 'farang' to describe her...'she is very cultured and from Edinburgh, and not a slattern from Glasgow...and she performs scottish dances in traditional costume in a very alluring fashion...'...

I have a fetish too.

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

if my girlfriend was a long legged scottish woman in Thailand I would never use the word 'farang' to describe her...'she is very cultured and from Edinburgh, and not a slattern from Glasgow...and she performs scottish dances in traditional costume in a very alluring fashion...'...

Not a WREN dancing after the field gun races is she..??

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

if my girlfriend was a long legged scottish woman in Thailand I would never use the word 'farang' to describe her...'she is very cultured and from Edinburgh, and not a slattern from Glasgow...and she performs scottish dances in traditional costume in a very alluring fashion...'...

I have a fetish too.

get outta here, transam as there's no fetish involved...the girls have lovely short tartan skirts when they do a jig and if you play 'drop the hankie' and look up then all is revealed...and the girls from the rougher clans don't wear underwear...

a bit of an adolescent scenario but pleasing nonetheless...

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

if my girlfriend was a long legged scottish woman in Thailand I would never use the word 'farang' to describe her...'she is very cultured and from Edinburgh, and not a slattern from Glasgow...and she performs scottish dances in traditional costume in a very alluring fashion...'...

I have a fetish too.

get outta here, transam as there's no fetish involved...the girls have lovely short tartan skirts when they do a jig and if you play 'drop the hankie' and look up then all is revealed...and the girls from the rougher clans don't wear underwear...

a bit of an adolescent scenario but pleasing nonetheless...

I lived that dream tutsi...

Maybe I'll nip down to Hootenanny's tonight for some action!

and then there was the ex from east Glasgow and in the heat of passion she would breathe: 'I useta have sex in alleyways with strange men near the music venues...how does that make ye feel now, ye bastid?' tutsi: 'it makes me feel that I wanna <deleted> ye and to extinguish yer inglorious pretensions, my sweet...'

and then she abruptly sat up and said: 'bastid...yew ruined it...no one wants to hear about inglorious pretensions...and I ain't yer goddam 'sweet'...this ain't a goddam eating contest...'...

she didn't have a clue...and then she made herself a cup of tea and didn't ask if I wanted one...

whats the problem with white woman then?

Don't ask me, I've always avoided them.

I hope you remember her on Mother's Day ...

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

if my girlfriend was a long legged scottish woman in Thailand I would never use the word 'farang' to describe her...'she is very cultured and from Edinburgh, and not a slattern from Glasgow...and she performs scottish dances in traditional costume in a very alluring fashion...'...

I have a fetish too.

Freckles?

and then there was the ex from east Glasgow and in the heat of passion she would breathe: 'I useta have sex in alleyways with strange men near the music venues...how does that make ye feel now, ye bastid?' tutsi: 'it makes me feel that I wanna <deleted> ye and to extinguish yer inglorious pretensions, my sweet...'

and then she abruptly sat up and said: 'bastid...yew ruined it...no one wants to hear about inglorious pretensions...and I ain't yer goddam 'sweet'...this ain't a goddam eating contest...'...

she didn't have a clue...and then she made herself a cup of tea and didn't ask if I wanted one...

I’ll have whatever he’s been drinking…

Then I’ll ignore the lot of you.. or is it yer, or ye ?

and then there was the ex from east Glasgow and in the heat of passion she would breathe: 'I useta have sex in alleyways with strange men near the music venues...how does that make ye feel now, ye bastid?' tutsi: 'it makes me feel that I wanna <deleted> ye and to extinguish yer inglorious pretensions, my sweet...'

and then she abruptly sat up and said: 'bastid...yew ruined it...no one wants to hear about inglorious pretensions...and I ain't yer goddam 'sweet'...this ain't a goddam eating contest...'...

she didn't have a clue...and then she made herself a cup of tea and didn't ask if I wanted one...

I’ll have whatever he’s been drinking…

Then I’ll ignore the lot of you.. or is it yer, or ye ?

well..you know...it's phonetic...the brits have got the silent 'r'...

In the sense of Farang meaning Caucasian, then farang is just the same as us commenting that someone is "asian".

So, if we we (as farangs) said someone is farang, its the same as an asian person commenting that someone is asian.

er..if that makes any sense..

think my sentencing might require some deciphering there ...much the same as the deciphering of the Farang to-be or not to-be debate..

if my girlfriend was a long legged scottish woman in Thailand I would never use the word 'farang' to describe her...'she is very cultured and from Edinburgh, and not a slattern from Glasgow...and she performs scottish dances in traditional costume in a very alluring fashion...'...

I have a fetish too.

Freckles?

Um...do you mean the game???

For the life of me, I certainly would find a difficult time understanding why one would care to subject themselves to any such association.....for what reason.

From my experience, this cast is best ignored.

Of course you people taking offence at being called Farang fully understand the why and wherefore surrounding the tradition of Thai nick names, where the known name is not the given first name..........

Perhaps when you have grasped the mechanics of this you may realise calling you farang is perhaps doing you a favour by retaining your anonymity as far as the spirits are concerned.....

Of course we know about nick names

Mine is Bak-See-da

Of course you people taking offence at being called Farang fully understand the why and wherefore surrounding the tradition of Thai nick names, where the known name is not the given first name..........

Perhaps when you have grasped the mechanics of this you may realise calling you farang is perhaps doing you a favour by retaining your anonymity as far as the spirits are concerned.....

Of course we know about nick names

Mine is Bak-See-da

Of course you people taking offence at being called Farang fully understand the why and wherefore surrounding the tradition of Thai nick names, where the known name is not the given first name..........

Perhaps when you have grasped the mechanics of this you may realise calling you farang is perhaps doing you a favour by retaining your anonymity as far as the spirits are concerned.....

Of course we know about nick names

Mine is Bak-See-da

I think you best stick with Farang, as it suits you perfectly.

To the OP:

I used to wonder the same thing my first year here. Now I probably distance myself from farangs much more than I do Thais in public because I've found the odds to be higher that I won't like them.

Although I have more close farang friends than I do Thai, excluding family here, it is hard to find ones who have integrated into Thai society or have a desire to as opposed to seeing Thais and Thailand as a place to be used all the while not understanding themselves why they think and constantly complain that Thais & Thailand only want to use them.

Nothing prejudice against my own kind, I just see it as the same as the odds being much lower I am going to find friends at a Christians for the Death Penalty gathering... sure there will be some but most will usually not be people who I enjoy being around. Sometimes we can't help who we become friends with but I try now to do my best to limit the negative people I my life.

Funny antidote but one that didn't surprise me at all ... I often smile at people when our eyes meet be it walking on a sidewalk or on a subway. Yesterday, I did this to an Australian or New Zealand father who had a very cute kid who was waiving at me and my wife. His response was; Do you have a <deleted> problem?

Another debate about the word farang. It is no different than describing somebody as black except for the fact in this culture it is completely okay to describe somebody by such an obvious feature. Calling somebody black, white or farang can be used negatively just as many words.

If you are going to get bent out of shape over a Thai word that describes you as a white foreigner than you are in for a very unhill battle with many things here ... unless of course you are black and then you would have a legitimate gripe.