Happy Being The Farang

[Kitsune]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

you dont have to put up with it, however in what way are you constantly reminded that you are a farang, by being called a farang.

Should they stop being thai and change their language, because farang is simply the word they use.

The only way someone can remind you is if you have forgotten.

changing the language would be trying to put a different word on us

No need for that, just treat us as a normal human being.

They don't constantly refer as themselves as being KhonThai, why would we be treated differently?

[jocko]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

I have some Thai's that live near me in the UK and they still use the word Farang when talking about the locals to them it must just mean Not Thai i dont think it's in there head to use any other word.

[kannot]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

you dont have to put up with it, however in what way are you constantly reminded that you are a farang, by being called a farang.

Should they stop being thai and change their language, because farang is simply the word they use.

The only way someone can remind you is if you have forgotten.

changing the language would be trying to put a different word on us

No need for that, just treat us as a normal human being.

They don't constantly refer as themselves as being KhonThai, why would we be treated differently?

Because we are inferior with our stupid maths ability when everyone knows you only need a calculator, our construction knowledge is iffy too, not enough water in concrete makes it far to difficult to pour, every Thai builder knows it must be like p☆ss and self levelling.

The list is endless really.

[Nautilus05]

To be honest, I think alot of farangs in Thailand are simply hypocrites. When you're back at home in Scotland, UK, mid-west USA or wherever, having a pint at their local pub, don't tell me you treat immigrants who struggle with the English language 100% the same as you treat a full-blooded countryman. You can't tell me you don't view them in a different light.

So of course it's the same in Thailand, except the tables are turned, and we're the immigrants. Sure I get treated differently due to being an immigrant, but that's fine with me. There's good and bad sides to that. As long as everyone treats me with the same level of common respect that I show them, then I'm more than happy. And for the most part, I can say that's what happens 95% of the time with neighbors, friends, etc. No complaints here.

[Kitsune]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

I have some Thai's that live near me in the UK and they still use the word Farang when talking about the locals to them it must just mean Not Thai i dont think it's in there head to use any other word.

Why use a different word?

Aren't we not humans?

Why constantly make a difference ?

To quote Depeche Mode "People are People"

[HardenedSoul]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

you dont have to put up with it, however in what way are you constantly reminded that you are a farang, by being called a farang.

Should they stop being thai and change their language, because farang is simply the word they use.

The only way someone can remind you is if you have forgotten.

changing the language would be trying to put a different word on us

No need for that, just treat us as a normal human being.

They don't constantly refer as themselves as being KhonThai, why would we be treated differently?

But that's just the point isn't it?

Foreigners want to be treated differently.

They want the respect and elevated status they believe their relatively superior wealth ought to entitle them to. They love the "special" attention and treatment they receive from Thai totty at the local boozer but raise hell when the local moto-taxi inflates their fare by a measly 10 baht.

Isn't it ironic that so many on TV cite "Political-correctness-gone-mad" as one of the reasons for quitting their homelands yet, here they are in Thailand, railing against the use of an innocuous word the locals use to describe non-Thais while ignoring the fact that most Thais don't consider the word to be offensive or derogatory because most foreigners don't consider it offensive or derogatory.

The point here is that, given the locals will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid causing offence and confrontation, it stands to reason that if Thais thought that the word was injurious to foreigners, they wouldn't use it.

[Raesum]

I'm not sure what Kitsune means when he says "the constant reminders". I am hardly ever reminded about my farang status but who cares either way.I live in an area where around my house I am the only farang Not many people outside my Thai family know me by name(and its a difficult name at that)and I do not go around introducing myself and insisting they remember my difficult name) so when necessary they call me farang.A good case of this was yesterday-I was walking past the "ironing ladys" house( no I do not know her name but we always say "Sahwadee kah" to each other) and she called out "falang falang mah nee" So over I went and she had a present for me. A beautiful hand made vase filled with beautiful hand made paper flowers.!!!She told me she made it specially for me.So as far as we are concerned I am the "farang" and she is the "ironing lady" and guess what??? Neither of us gives a <deleted>!!!

[swissie]

So, once more, the term Farang is not meant in a derogative way.

Not as in:

- "Kraut" for a german.

- "Limey" for an englishmen.

- "Greaser" for a mexican.

- "Gook" for asians in general.

Comprende?

Cheers.

[Kitsune]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

you dont have to put up with it, however in what way are you constantly reminded that you are a farang, by being called a farang.

Should they stop being thai and change their language, because farang is simply the word they use.

The only way someone can remind you is if you have forgotten.

changing the language would be trying to put a different word on us

No need for that, just treat us as a normal human being.

They don't constantly refer as themselves as being KhonThai, why would we be treated differently?

But that's just the point isn't it?

Foreigners want to be treated differently.

They want the respect and elevated status they believe their relatively superior wealth ought to entitle them to. They love the "special" attention and treatment they receive from Thai totty at the local boozer but raise hell when the local moto-taxi inflates their fare by a measly 10 baht.

Isn't it ironic that so many on TV cite "Political-correctness-gone-mad" as one of the reasons for quitting their homelands yet, here they are in Thailand, railing against the use of an innocuous word the locals use to describe non-Thais while ignoring the fact that most Thais don't consider the word to be offensive or derogatory because most foreigners don't consider it offensive or derogatory.

The point here is that, given the locals will go to extraordinary lengths to avoid causing offence and confrontation, it stands to reason that if Thais thought that the word was injurious to foreigners, they wouldn't use it.

That was back 10 years ago

Now they service tourists for money, the more money you have the more respect you get.

I have always fell uncomfortable to be treated as superior and I certainly don't like being treated as inferior.

[Kitsune]

So, once more, the term Farang is not meant in a derogative way.

Not as in:

- "Kraut" for a german.

- "Limey" for an englishmen.

- "Greaser" for a mexican.

- "Gook" for asians in general.

Comprende?

Cheers.

I don't care if it means Princess or Piece of dirt, I just don't want to be reminded Im not from here every second

[swissie]

So, once more, the term Farang is not meant in a derogative way.

Not as in:

- "Kraut" for a german.

- "Limey" for an englishmen.

- "Greaser" for a mexican.

- "Gook" for asians in general.

Comprende?

Cheers.

I don't care if it means Princess or Piece of dirt, I just don't want to be reminded Im not from here every second

One can fight fire with fire by just addressing every Thai by "Khun-Thai"! (Including the family members). The question "why you address me like this" would have to be answered by: "Well this is how you address me".

But unfortunately, most Thai's would not get "the drift" of it.

Cheers.

[Kitsune]

I think that it doesn't matter what country you are in,if it isn't your native country then your will always be the foreigner !!!

I have lived in The Netherlands for 13 years,I speak Dutch,eat Dutch and live Dutch but am and always will be Shaggy the Englishman to them. (and rightly so)

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what people call you or think of you,if you are happy with your life,have people that love you and you have good health.... then nothing else matters.

Yes sure but do they address/refer to you as such and make sure they mention you foreign status in every sentence ?

No they don't mention my foreign status in every sentence.......probably because I can understand everything that they are saying.

oh don't worry about that here ! Farangs get to be called farangs even / especially when they understand what they say.

But it's OK farangs are a different breed so it's ok to be rude and talk about them right in front of them

[HardenedSoul]

That was back 10 years ago

Now they service tourists for money, the more money you have the more respect you get.

I have always fell uncomfortable to be treated as superior and I certainly don't like being treated as inferior.

Well it's hardly just the Thais who behave like this, is it?

People all over the world receive preferential treatment on account of their greater perceived wealth. It's just the way the world is.

[Kitsune]

I think that it doesn't matter what country you are in,if it isn't your native country then your will always be the foreigner !!!

I have lived in The Netherlands for 13 years,I speak Dutch,eat Dutch and live Dutch but am and always will be Shaggy the Englishman to them. (and rightly so)

At the end of the day it doesn't matter what people call you or think of you,if you are happy with your life,have people that love you and you have good health.... then nothing else matters.

Yes sure but do they address/refer to you as such and make sure they mention you foreign status in every sentence ?

No they don't mention my foreign status in every sentence.......probably because I can understand everything that they are saying.

Try it pretending you don,t know Thai.

A friend had a taxi drive into the back of him, they difn,t know he coukd speak Thai, they all kept saying why shoukd he worry Farang got money he can pay for it.

Yep that's the best translation of the word so far : Someone to ripp off / extortionate

Double pricing and dollars signs are what I see in their eyes when they call me Farang

[Kitsune]

To be honest, I think alot of farangs in Thailand are simply hypocrites. When you're back at home in Scotland, UK, mid-west USA or wherever, having a pint at their local pub, don't tell me you treat immigrants who struggle with the English language 100% the same as you treat a full-blooded countryman. You can't tell me you don't view them in a different light.

So of course it's the same in Thailand, except the tables are turned, and we're the immigrants. Sure I get treated differently due to being an immigrant, but that's fine with me. There's good and bad sides to that. As long as everyone treats me with the same level of common respect that I show them, then I'm more than happy. And for the most part, I can say that's what happens 95% of the time with neighbors, friends, etc. No complaints here.

You are right

It's a topic that has never been debated here on TV and no one else has a problem with it.

[DLock]

This is something I never think about.

I live amongst Thai's but I rarely hear the term, and never in a derogatory manner.

Just do not respond to the term and eventually people will not use it.

Plenty of other things in Thailand to get wound up over.

[Raesum]

<Thai language removed>

From your responses Kitsune- you have either been living in the wrong places and have no chances to assimilate with Thai people OR you have absolutely more time on your hands than you should have !!

Edited May 12, 2013 by SeaVisionBurma
removed non-English portion of post

[SeaVisionBurma]

Please post in English only thanks - as per forum rules.

[EBlair48]

Seems to me to be racial slang, not an indicator where you're from.

Odd how in other cultures can refer to others by their race is the height of racism but when Thais do it, no problem.

Sex sells.

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious.

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

you dont have to put up with it, however in what way are you constantly reminded that you are a farang, by being called a farang.

Should they stop being thai and change their language, because farang is simply the word they use.

The only way someone can remind you is if you have forgotten.

I would be glad to be a person just a lambda human being.

Why the need to remind me and everyone else that I am not from here every time they address me?

[jocko]

We never pretended to be anything else than farang.

That's the constant reminder that gets tedious. 

In our home country we don't constantly remind Thai immigrants they are not from there.

Why do we have to put up with it?

I have some Thai's that live near me in the UK and they still use the word Farang when talking about the locals to them it must just mean Not Thai i dont think it's in there head to use any other word.

Why use a different word?

Aren't we not humans?

Why constantly make a difference ?

To quote Depeche Mode "People are People"

I don't expect or want them to use a different word it was just a general observation.

[Jimi007]

Learn to exhibit infinite patience and you will be a very happy person in Thailand.

So true! Just pull up a chair and camp out! Then you will be taken care of! Actually most shops usually bring out a chair for me and are very nice and polite, especially when you don't act like an uptight ass that thinks they are better or more important than everyone else. Speaking some Thai definitely helps...

[Kitsune]

<Thai language removed>

From your responses Kitsune- you have either been living in the wrong places and have no chances to assimilate with Thai people OR you have absolutely more time on your hands than you should have !!

Yeah of course it's my fault.

It's me who has a problem not them

I am the only one feeling like this, and no one on this forum has never made a topic about being called a farang

[muythai2013]

I am a farang so who cares about being called one.

[chrisartist]

I am from the UK and I am not a farang. I am either <my_name> or the Englishman or the European. And if I *am* a farang, Thais must be Keks (dark-skinned inferior member of the species fit only for manual labour).

[Maiz183]

madness.....complete madness!!

The term farang, is used as reference to, big nose, white skin, round eyes....etc etc.....you cannot know the nationality of each and every person that has white skin, a big nose (compared to Thais), and round eyes.......

Chrisartist ^^^ how the hell does anyone know you are an Englishman or European...you could be a South African, or Canadian, American.....you could be Jamaican, but not a dark skinned Jamaican.

Why does everyone compare the use of farang to derogatory words such as kraut, gook, etc etc??

Ohhh the high and mighty westerner and his courageous exploits in south east Asia.....you are so easily offended when all it means is that the Thai language is limited in certain uses of words, sentences compared to English or other 'more civilised' languages (as I imagine you all think of yourselves as speaking).

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

Edited May 13, 2013 by Maiz183

[muythai2013]

madness.....complete madness!!

The term farang, is used as reference to, big nose, white skin, round eyes....etc etc.....you cannot know the nationality of each and every person that has white skin, a big nose (compared to Thais), and round eyes.......

Chrisartist ^^^ how the hell does anyone know you are an Englishman or European...you could be a South African, or Canadian, American.....you could be Jamaican, but not a dark skinned Jamaican.

Why does everyone compare the use of farang to derogatory words such as kraut, gook, etc etc??

Ohhh the high and mighty westerner and his courageous exploits in south east Asia.....you are so easily offended when all it means is that the Thai language is limited in certain uses of words, sentences compared to English or other 'more civilised' languages (as I imagine you all think of yourselves as speaking).

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

this thread agrees with you you, did you read it.

i'm the op and the point of the thread is everything you just said.

you did not read it did you.

[Docno]

I live in Singapore. I can tell you that farangs in Thailand are treated much better up there than 'Ang Mohs' are treated down here. In Singapore, you clearly detect the dislike and resentment that a large segment of the population has for us. It's in the online forums everyday and in how taxi drivers and others talk to you and treat you. Obviously, not all Thais like farangs (and they may have good reason), but I feel much more welcome in Thailand than in Singapore. And it's not just from people who might benefit monetarily from me (yeah, I can anticipate the flood of cynical responses from TV members). Geez, in Singapore people will ask if you are 'Christian or Catholic' (!) and look at you askance if you give the 'wrong' answer. When have you ever had a Thai Buddhist suggest there's something wrong with you if you're not a Buddhist? So, yeah, you may always be 'the farang', but that's not necessarily bad thing....

[muythai2013]

I live in Singapore. I can tell you that farangs in Thailand are treated much better up there than 'Ang Mohs' are treated down here. In Singapore, you clearly detect the dislike and resentment that a large segment of the population has for us. It's in the online forums everyday and in how taxi drivers and others talk to you and treat you. Obviously, not all Thais like farangs (and they may have good reason), but I feel much more welcome in Thailand than in Singapore. And it's not just from people who might benefit monetarily from me (yeah, I can anticipate the flood of cynical responses from TV members). Geez, in Singapore people will ask if you are 'Christian or Catholic' (!) and look at you askance if you give the 'wrong' answer. When have you ever had a Thai Buddhist suggest there's something wrong with you if you're not a Buddhist? So, yeah, you may always be 'the farang', but that's not necessarily bad thing....

christians are Catholic and vice verca.

[Maiz183]

madness.....complete madness!!

The term farang, is used as reference to, big nose, white skin, round eyes....etc etc.....you cannot know the nationality of each and every person that has white skin, a big nose (compared to Thais), and round eyes.......

Chrisartist ^^^ how the hell does anyone know you are an Englishman or European...you could be a South African, or Canadian, American.....you could be Jamaican, but not a dark skinned Jamaican.

Why does everyone compare the use of farang to derogatory words such as kraut, gook, etc etc??

Ohhh the high and mighty westerner and his courageous exploits in south east Asia.....you are so easily offended when all it means is that the Thai language is limited in certain uses of words, sentences compared to English or other 'more civilised' languages (as I imagine you all think of yourselves as speaking).

I cannot believe this thread keeps appearing....it is so ridiculous....get a grip, only weak and easily offended people would be that bothered about this....you are in a foreign country, they don't have to abide by YOUR values etc.......

this thread agrees with you you, did you read it.

i'm the op and the point of the thread is everything you just said.

you did not read it did you.

You are obviously looking for a fight......great that you are the OP so you can answer my question.

Why do you have to post such a ridiculous thread and get all these racist idiots riled up???

Yes I did read it muythai........you have obviously not read other posts relating to this very same initial post....who cares about being called farang??

I thought I would respond because I get fed up with the racist comments about Thais.....this is their country, you, I and everyone that lives here is a guest......so get used to the way it is here....simple....just stop posting the same nonsense!!!

[laislica]

The OP wrote:

People are often posting that they will always be the farang, got news for you guys that say that, you are the Farang.

So what If despite you best efforts to weazel your way in, your still the Farang, rember that's exactly what you are, or is it a deep seeded wish to fully morph into a Thai.

We are different, that's what draws you to them and them to you in the first place, the attention men get here compared to home blows men away, thats why they flock here.

Should you suddenly find you are accepted and no longer viewed as simply the Farang, you will just be another part of the scenery and likely not recieve the attention that drives a man's ego.

I am a Farang, love Thai's, never wish to be anything other then what I am. End Quote.

What is it with your words weazel and morph?

I think you have may some serious issues.

We are not all Ego driven, you might enjoy reading Eckhart Tolle's book "a new earth" which deals with the Ego in a very powerful way.

What is the purpose of this thread?

Do you just want to say that you are better than the other Farang or what?