Does Being Called Farang Bother You?

[Sateev]

This breaks out along predictable lines: the more honest and open vote 'sometimes', and maybe explain why, the clueless vote 'yes', and the 'I'm more Thai than you, and I totally understand Thai people, and I'm so self-secure that nothing bothers me' types all vote 'no'.

Boring.

[tinfoilhat]

my friends of many years who are thai and my wife informed me it is in no way meant in a derogatory way.

they are thai, I will take there word for it over a non thai.

They really cannot understand why its an issue.

I live up north and this is so true.

I don't see where the OP has claimed it is a derogatory name. Being called farang in Thailand is something that tourists and expats experience on a daily basis, usually without malice involved, and Thais don't see it as derogatory. But years ago black people were called ni**ers on a daily basis and the people calling them ni**er said it wasn't derogatory. Same goes for p@ki, w0g, sp1ck etc...none were originally used as a derogatory name to address someone of a particular skin colour, and the people using those words said there was nothing wrong with it, but today it is no longer acceptable in most countries. I doubt farang will be as widely used in 20-30 yrs as it is today but TIT so I could be wrong. To have a widely used and accepted nickname for people based on the colour of their skin in 2012 is pretty rare is it not?

not sure where or when nigger, paki , <deleted> spic, or anything of the like were not considered derogatory.

as for farang, until there is another option, it works for me.

[Seewolf]

There are no stupid questions but it may lead to stupid anwsers

[jshorts]

I’m terribly offended when they drop “village” and only call me “farang”.

Come on already, their country, their language, their customs and their rules. They can call me anything they want but people who know me, always use my name. That includes the staff at Starbucks, even. I have questions about those who claim to be disrespected by Thais.

What is your question, please?

[drdoom6996]

Get a life

[belg]

quite annoying when it is used by the same no education people over and over again ... it is if they were stairing at a monkey.... you think people would be accepted each time in the west, to be called something like: there's a nigger, sand-nigger, etc...

[MaxYakov]

It depends on how loud they're screaming at me at the time. I call myself ATM which is a double-edged insult. Generally, I don't pay much attention to what Thai people say anyway because it's too often based in ignorance or is plain nonsense.

[chiangmaikelly]

Get a life

I agree. One might end up trawling internet forums telling people to get a life.

[villagefarang]

I’m terribly offended when they drop “village” and only call me “farang”.

Come on already, their country, their language, their customs and their rules. They can call me anything they want but people who know me, always use my name. That includes the staff at Starbucks, even. I have questions about those who claim to be disrespected by Thais.

What is your question, please?

The question is clearly whether there was something in their own actions or manner which caused others to view them negatively. Many of us don’t have such problems and the ones who do seem to have problems all the time. Makes one wonder.

[chiangmaikelly]

It depends on how loud they're screaming at me at the time. I call myself ATM which is a double-edged insult. Generally, I don't pay much attention to what Thai people say anyway because it's too often based in ignorance or is plain nonsense.

Do tell. How often?

[featography]

Groups will always have an appellation of some form or another to differentiate outsiders from members of the group. I’m a Farang here and a Haole in Hawaii, who cares. It is short efficient and widely understood.

I agree. With a smile, I respond with ''swasdee Durian''

The reaction has always brought a laugh.

[Tim7]

Chinese has a thousand dialects, one of the dialects "Farang" means "White Ghost".

[chiangmaikelly]

Being bothered by being called Farang is measured in inverse proportion to time spent in Thailand. Did I say that right? I mean like after 1 year you are bothered. After 5 years only one nutcase is bothered. After 10 no one is bothered.

[how241]

If im in a taxi and the driver is saying on the phone he has a farang in the car- no not bothered

If i'm in a store and the assistand talks to another assistant and says 'the farang needs help' - no not bothered

when i go to a company and say " Hello my name is Mr. kjkjjiik I have an appointment with Khun Somchai" and the receptionist then phones that person and says a farang is here to see you - yes pisses me off totally

When Thais who know my name and still refer to me as Farang - yes pisses me off.

+1

[montereyjp]

No, does not bother me...

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[transam]

The only place l get called my name is at the police station and the snooker hall, they know my name and use it ........................................

[quandow]

It would bother me when my Thai GF's family would refer to me as "the farang." I spoke just enough Thai to get that, and I would politely remind them that the farang had a name. We're all still friends though the GF and I split the sheets.

[skybluestu]

my friends of many years who are thai and my wife informed me it is in no way meant in a derogatory way.

they are thai, I will take there word for it over a non thai.

They really cannot understand why its an issue.

I live up north and this is so true.

I don't see where the OP has claimed it is a derogatory name. Being called farang in Thailand is something that tourists and expats experience on a daily basis, usually without malice involved, and Thais don't see it as derogatory. But years ago black people were called ni**ers on a daily basis and the people calling them ni**er said it wasn't derogatory. Same goes for p@ki, w0g, sp1ck etc...none were originally used as a derogatory name to address someone of a particular skin colour, and the people using those words said there was nothing wrong with it, but today it is no longer acceptable in most countries. I doubt farang will be as widely used in 20-30 yrs as it is today but TIT so I could be wrong. To have a widely used and accepted nickname for people based on the colour of their skin in 2012 is pretty rare is it not?

not sure where or when nigger, paki , <deleted> spic, or anything of the like were not considered derogatory.

as for farang, until there is another option, it works for me.

There was a time in history when those names were used and they weren't considered derogatory, at least not by the people using the name and often not by the person who was being called the name.

Like I said already, I doubt farang will be as widely used and accepted in 20-30yrs but if it is then mai pen rai, TIT.

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[F1fanatic]

skybluestu - I suspect that those terms were always considered derogatory.

But, you're right insofar as times change and, in most Western countries, referring to anyone in those terms (even out of earshot) will be understood to be intentionally offensive.

[koolkarl]

It most definitely does bother me.

It would be the same thing if all Thais in my home country would be called stranger all the time.

I wonder if they would like that?

It is polite to say nothing when one doesn't know the other's name.

[elliss]

call a spade , a spade ,

we are all bloody foreigners in thailand .

accept it , or move back to your homeland .

i admre the thai people , for protecting their kingdom , and their national identity .

i wish old blighty , could learn , from this third world country .

Edited September 9, 2012 by elliss

[kiwiinasia]

It only bothers me when other foreigners call me one.

I don't expect the local people to be able to say "New Zealander" or "European".

Thai is such a simple easy word to say in comparison.

Maybe they should call me whitey eh?

[skybluestu]

skybluestu - I suspect that those terms were always considered derogatory.

But, you're right insofar as times change and, in most Western countries, referring to anyone in those terms (even out of earshot) will be understood to be intentionally offensive.

None of the words mentioned are accepted now and have, rightly so, been considered extremely derogatory for many years. But most didn't start out as an ethnic slur, look at the origins of many currently unacceptable racial slurs and you'll see they started out as quite an innocent way to describe a particular group of people based on skin colour, similar to the word farang in Thailand.

[Synastry]

Like I said I consider it a negative thing about Thailand.

OK!

But you are aware that Thai people see it as neither negative nor positive. Aren't you? It is usually purely descriptive (unless used improperly). Unlike in many European and North American cultures, being openly descriptive, especially about psychical features is not considered to be rude in Thailand. You do know this, don't you?

That is true! My brother-in-law was born with darker than normal skin and was given a second nickname 'Dam (ดำ)', which means 'Black'. The whole family only call him Dam even though his real nickname is 'Off'. It's more of lighthearted term of endearment than being offensive.

.

[puipuitom]

USA citizens are often called "Americans", while in fact they are only living in a part of the Northern part of that continent.

Why not Argentinians call themselves "Americans "?

People from my country, Netherlands are even called "Dutch" what is in fact more the language-FAMILY which is spoken here : "Diets". We are often said coming from "Holland", what is only a part of the western area. like... calling Chiang Rai / Rayong / Nakhin Ratachima / Songkla people to be called "Ayuthians "

What's in a name, especially given by another nation ?

As long as it is friendly ment.. they are even allowed me to call me " Pui Pui "

[Rafale]

Well, I asked more than 4 hours ago what would be the correct Thai word to call a foreigner from who you don't know the name nor his nationality.

But untill now nobody has given me the answer, while there have been many at the same time who have said that farang is bad,very bad.

Do you actually know

I am in my mid 40s, a 100% Farang who wasn't born, but grew up in Thailand, maybe you will hear me, and hopefully relax.

Your Thai friends are joking, or you misunderstood them. No offense should be taken by this "F" word, and unless people know, remember and can pronounce your name, the "F" as in "Farang" in itself is not meant to be insulting at all, not even close to the "N" word, or even the "Black" or "White", or "Yellow".

Foreigners -as someone from an other country- are "Khon Tang Chart". A Caucasian, or anyone who doesn't have black eyes, is called "Farang", and it is not at all "bad" or "very bad" as you were told, not an insult at all.,

I did hate the word "Farang" when I was a teenager, but that was because I considered myself a "Dek Thep" (Bkk Kid), but I finally realized that, however long I tried, I would never really become a Thai, and that I would be a Farang forever. Now, some 28 years later, when Seven Eleven girls ask me if I am half Thai, I just answer "Farang 100%, khong teah (the real thing)", then they say something like "but, you speak Thai like..." And now the usual answer I give is "Nong, I spoke Thai before you were even born"... Before I got married, it was more like "I can be whatever you want me to be, nong"... But that is another story.

BTW, few people call me "Farang" anymore, usually it is by my name or "Pee" (big brother), or "Loong" (Uncle) for kids.

Hope I am making some sense here!

[aussiebebe]

Getting called 'Farang' pisses me off but also prevents me giving a dam_n about Thais or Thailand so it's a double-edged sword; I actually have very different values here and behave in ways I'd never dream of doing back home - that's precisely why I'm here. Getting called farang is just one of those contributing factors - if Thais didn't do this I might care about them or their country but instead their behavior just reminds me that I'm not Thai and never will be - me getting annoyed is a small price to pay for the freedom it gives me. Fair is fair.

[Morakot]

Getting called 'Farang' pisses me off but also prevents me giving a dam_n about Thais or Thailand so it's a double-edged sword; I actually have very different values here and behave in ways I'd never dream of doing back home - that's precisely why I'm here. Getting called farang is just one of those contributing factors - if Thais didn't do this I might care about them or their country but instead their behavior just reminds me that I'm not Thai and never will be - me getting annoyed is a small price to pay for the freedom it gives me. Fair is fair.

... ...

Edited September 9, 2012 by Morakot

[transam]

Getting called 'Farang' pisses me off but also prevents me giving a dam_n about Thais or Thailand so it's a double-edged sword; I actually have very different values here and behave in ways I'd never dream of doing back home - that's precisely why I'm here. Getting called farang is just one of those contributing factors - if Thais didn't do this I might care about them or their country but instead their behavior just reminds me that I'm not Thai and never will be - me getting annoyed is a small price to pay for the freedom it gives me. Fair is fair.

... ...

+1

[gazmat]

Since moving to Thailand, I now refer to any Thai person, of any age or gender, simply as "Chinaman".

A little Thai girl approaches me and I say to her parents, "What a cute little Chinaman!"

My mother-in-law offers me a plate of Som Tam and I inform her, "No thanks, I don't like Chinaman food."

At a big family day out I remark, "I've never seen so many Chinamans in one place!"

When in Rome and all that...

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