Accepting The Farang Status, And The Implications

[ayayay]

When I first came here, many years ago, I immediately began calling myself farang, I thought it was funny, and the thais always looked at me as, hmmm, farang.

The more I learned about thai culture, the more I realized that farangs are really viewed as another species, not always bad, sometimes the opposite, but just very different than other people in thai society.

This I thought was not really a problem, until I began seeing a connections between the fact that by not feeling connected to us, it was much easier to rip us off, treat us bad, or just making it really difficult to create deep bonds with the extended thai family.

We might laugh it off, and call it far fetched, or even political correct, but it has nothing to do with it at all.

Think about this.

Would you prefer to always be referred to as farang, or would you be preferred to be called by your name by your thai family, close friends and girlfriend?

If it does not matter to you, you will not understand the rest.

However, most of us would prefer to be called by our name as soon as we get to know our girlfriend and our new family.

If this is true, it means that somehow, even though we do not admit it, and see no connection at first, we do think that being called farang might be a little too neutral and not really personal and we will not feel really close to our family when they don´t even bother to learn your name, and furthermore, they see no difference between you and any random white skinned stranger that walks down the street because after all, he is just farang as well.

So by admitting that we do prefer to be called by our name, rather than farang by our family and close friends, we can draw the conclusion that it probably has to do with that we feel like we are too anonymous, almost like a stranger.

Who is the easiest to rip off, kill, scam, or getting close to and tie deep bonds with, a farang/anonymous stranger with no name, or Khun Peter?

Sure, we all have labels for certain group of people, but somewhere that definition of that person will eventually fade away the more you get to know him/her. This is not the case for thais, and that IS a problem for us

I am not expecting thai people to learn this anytime soon, and I often don´t bother to tell them, but at least, I do not call myself farang. It is just plain ignorant.

[mrtoad]

Another "Farang" topic.

[Bung]

I've only ever been called by my name once getting to know Thai people.

If they still call you a Farang once you get to know them, especially Thai family I would be looking for different relatives.

[uptheos]

Oh dear......

[ayayay]

I've only ever been called by my name once getting to know Thai people.

If they still call you a Farang once you get to know them, especially Thai family I would be looking for different relatives.

That is not the point, I mentioned that to illustrate an example.

[mauGR1]

I would bet my last coins the OP is a Farang..

[ayayay]

Also, I forgot to mention, people who are just here on a holiday, or do not plan to have any deep relationship with any thai, I understand you would not care, but the rest of us should think about it.

[ayayay]

BS. I don't often get annoyed by TV topics but this stuff gets up my nose. In the village we hear and know everything, that's the way it is. I am the Farang,

Yeah, as I wrote, I thought it was funny and did no harm, until I realized the big picture.

[Swiss1960]

I think you just know the wrong people when they call you "farang" in your face... none of the people I know in Thailand would call me that once he knows me... everybody calls me by name and "farang" ist just for the joking side of life...

So you might have to rethink with who you hooked up...

[cooked]

Well, this may be the first, and hopefully, last time, that I say: if you don't like it go home.

[ayayay]

Well, this may be the first, and hopefully, last time, that I say: if you don't like it go home.

Well, this is the first time, and hopefully, the last time, that I say: You sir, are very ignorant

[gazmat]

I just say, "Oi, Chinaman, I ain't no Farang, I'm Pra Ram Farang to you and make that wai a little higher... that's right - well above the head!" Then I belch loudly and bellow, "Chang Yai!".

[uptheos]

If your relatives refer to you as farang there is something very wrong and it might be better to move on and save yourself the grief

[Jingthing]

The Thai people you know may learn to not call you f-rang to your face anyway, but the more interesting question is what are they THINKING ...

I think the OP is basically right. We that are seen as f-rangs are targets of a thing called OTHERIZATION and it makes it much easier morally/ethically to treat such others in shabby ways and sometimes (not even rarely in my view), not even as real human beings with real human feelings.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Jingthing

[FritsSikkink]

I've only ever been called by my name once getting to know Thai people.

If they still call you a Farang once you get to know them, especially Thai family I would be looking for different relatives.

That is not the point, I mentioned that to illustrate an example.

I think it is the point because they don't call me farang either, just my name.

If they keep calling you farang then there is no respect for you.

Edited October 29, 2012 by FritsSikkink

[soi41]

Well, this may be the first, and hopefully, last time, that I say: if you don't like it go home.

Well, this is the first time, and hopefully, the last time, that I say: You sir, are very ignorant

Judging by your reply above, I think you have bigger issues, than what Thais may/may not call you !

[h90]

yes there are some minor differences between south Italy and north Sweden Farangs.

Also between Portuguese and these from Novosibirsk.

[cooked]

dam_n it.

They do it to everyone. Thais, Laos, Cambodians, Burmese, Chinese. Go live in a village sometime, you will see things differently.

And don't call me sir, I am the Farang that goes and sorts things out down on the road when things go wrong; ID card scam, drunken lady problem.. I am the Farang and not like the villagers that's for sure. I think I am the Swiss Farang or David Farang or Papa Farang, that's ok.

Ignorant is a big word to use, where do you live,

sir?

(sneer)

Edited October 29, 2012 by cooked

[ayayay]

The Thai people you know may learn to not call you f-rang to your face anyway, but the more interesting question is what are they THINKING ...

I think the OP is basically right. We that are seen as f-rangs are targets of a thing called OTHERIZATION and it makes it much easier morally/ethically to treat such others in shabby ways and sometimes (not even rarely in my view), not even as real human beings with real human feelings.

Yes, you are correct.

What everyone is discussing is just the fact that no one is calling them farang to their face, however, they are missing the point.

You understand exactly what I mean

[Payboy]

I love all this name calling. Hansum Man suits me just fine.

[FritsSikkink]

The Thai people you know may learn to not call you f-rang to your face anyway, but the more interesting question is what are they THINKING ...

I think the OP is basically right. We that are seen as f-rangs are targets of a thing called OTHERIZATION and it makes it much easier morally/ethically to treat such others in shabby ways and sometimes (not even rarely in my view), not even as real human beings with real human feelings.

Yes, you are correct.

What everyone is discussing is just the fact that no one is calling them farang to their face, however, they are missing the point.

You understand exactly what I mean

Mayby things are different for people who speak Thai and don't behave like a complete stranger to Thai culture.

[Pormax]

If they don't know your name what are they supposed to call you or refer to you as?

Farang is better than say pig or any other word as we all then know who they refer too. This word is in their language and means 'Westerner or Foreigner'. (or some fruit they eat)

In uk we call an Irishman 'Paddy' if we don't know his name and that never seems to be a problem.

My family and their friends and most in the village know my name and use it. Possibly definetely more than I know their names.

I don't understand why people have to take such offense.

95%+ of the time using the word farang is not meant as derogatory.

[Sayonarax]

No body calls me farang.

[norrona]

I call every Thai person I meet 'Somchai' discuss

[cooked]

yank, limey, sorry, I have to go eat now.

[soi41]

No body calls me farang.

They might start doing it, when you leave Blackpool !

[Rancid]

Seems many farangs are never called farangs as they have a certain hi-so status that is instantly recognised by the Thais. Perhaps it is their pale skinned Chinese Thais wives?

Speaking of the absurd my daughter tells me that one of the big topics the other 14 year olds talk about is which skin whitening cream is the best? And back to Chinese Thais, sometimes can be illuminating as to their opinions of their darker skinned brethren. Rascism just abounds and that is the way of things, I think Jingthing had an interesting take on it.

[Theoutsider]

White man's burden.

[The Smithy]

I think you just know the wrong people when they call you "farang" in your face... none of the people I know in Thailand would call me that once he knows me... everybody calls me by name and "farang" ist just for the joking side of life...

So you might have to rethink with who you hooked up...

The Swiss Farang?

[The Smithy]

Well, this may be the first, and hopefully, last time, that I say: if you don't like it go home.

Well, this is the first time, and hopefully, the last time, that I say: You sir, are very ignorant

+1

Are you so devoid of ideas or a train of thought that all you can do is fall back on the dreary old bitter expat lines that people on here trot out when they have nothing else to say?

I pity you!