The Word 'farang"

[dr_Pat_Pong]

And a potato is MAN FARANG

[meemiathai]

I hate the word farang, it just shows ignorance.

I explained it to my Thai friends as follows, imagine if the first asian people we ever met wereIndian and then after that whenever we meet anyone from the whole continent of Asia we refered to them as Indian would that be ok?

"Khon dtang Bratayt" is a lot nicer and to me has no negative implications.

Farang is the same as using the n word or calling someone a wop, spic, dago etc etc

Could you please state what negative implications does the word "farang" has?

I just couldn't understand why people could add their own ideas to the meaning of words of other people's language!

It is just like saying that I don't like to be called "asian", IT IS DEROGATORY!!!

I hate the word farang, it just shows ignorance.

Funny, I just think it is the other way round.

[Begs]

I hate the word farang, it just shows ignorance.

Funny, I just think it is the other way round.

Classic, hehe

[markt]

I hate the word farang, it just shows ignorance.

I explained it to my Thai friends as follows, imagine if the first asian people we ever met wereIndian and then after that whenever we meet anyone from the whole continent of Asia we refered to them as Indian would that be ok?

"Khon dtang Bratayt" is a lot nicer and to me has no negative implications.

Farang is the same as using the n word or calling someone a wop, spic, dago etc etc

Could you please state what negative implications does the word "farang" has?

I just couldn't understand why people could add their own ideas to the meaning of words of other people's language!

It is just like saying that I don't like to be called "asian", IT IS DEROGATORY!!!

I hate the word farang, it just shows ignorance.

Funny, I just think it is the other way round.

Isn't memiathai the one whose inlaws still refer to him as farang rather than memiathai ...............?

[mouse]

Here in my village the word is out. I had a young school boy call out to me "F*** you Farang". I chased him down and took him to his father and through others explained what that had meant to me. The next day at school the little tyke spread the word and I have not had a problem since then.

As for farang, I notice that they do not call the Arabs or Africans or other Asians farang, so to me it is the same as being called "Hey white boy". I am not a bigot and do not to convey ideas other than what my simple words say.

I do notice however many of us, referring to them as Monkeys, etc etc etc

[haltes]

I hate the word farang, it just shows ignorance.

Another ignorant farang................

This aint UK or USA, you are a Farang here, a gwailo in Hong Kong and a Gaijin in Japan, its thier language thier country.

Some farang's just cannot grasp it.

So by your logic it is fine to call an black person darkie or n*gger or a chinese person a chink just because it used to be acceptable and they came to "my country"?

Thats crap and you know it

[mouse]

My wife and I just went to the neighbors around us and the local concensus is that a European, North American, a black American is an Afro American, Australia and (NZ) included is a farang and an African is an African, an Asian is an Asian and a South American is just that. All have their good names and bad ones. Farang is not intended badly and should not be taken as such. Although I must admit I felt it when I first came to Thailand ages ago.

[meemiathai]

Has anyone here had thai friends telling them that the word "farang" is derogatory?

If no, what is the bloody problem? What kind of logic is that?

Well if yes, please enlighten me. Tell what it bloody means.

[eyebee]

This thread kinda reminds me of the old joke:

A Thai man is visiting the UK, and goes into the bank to change some money. He gets 1 pound for 69 baht. The next week he does the same thing, but this time he has to pay 71 baht for 1 pound.

"Why is it 71 baht for 1 pound, when last week it was only 69 baht," he asks the teller.

"Fluctuation," replies the teller.

"<deleted> you Falangs too!"

[tutsiwarrior]

mouse...with regard to the incident you described with the school boy in your village, apparantly he ran away knowing that he was being disrespectful. Where I live is a market town upcountry and I get a lot of '<deleted> you, falang" around here but people are smiling just like they managed to say 'hello' in English. I'm sure that if I could explain that in some places in the US saying f*you could get you killed that it would not occur again...but, how to proceed?

anyway...good notice. '<deleted> you' are the two most used english words on the planet

[mouse]

tutsiwarrior I think that he did not know what he had said and that he was running cause he was being chased by a 130kg farang warrior on a bicycle.

[Axel]

[quote name=Begs' date='........

This aint UK or USA, you are a Farang here, a gwailo in Hong Kong and a Gaijin in Japan, its thier language thier country.

So by your logic it is fine to call an black person darkie or n*gger or a chinese person a chink just because it used to be acceptable and they came to "my country"?

Thats crap and you know it[/quote]

Where actually is the problem?

Begs mentioned correctly Farang, Gweilo, Gaijin.

All means, politetly translated 'foreigner' and all only used for caucasians.

I would never call a black person darkie (which I understand, is the politically correct word for a toothpaste) or n*gger, but in the States would first enquire for the presently correct expression. BTW, there is no offence, if two Afro-Americans call each other 'nigger'

A chinese person I would never call a chink, but banana is ok among my friends, you know, outside yellow, inside white.

So can you please get it right? A farang is a foreigner

FULLSTOP.

OK, a 'fukcing farang' is somebody with well advanced copulating technics. Don't challenge me on this one, I got a couple of letters of appreciation.

[tutsiwarrior]

I call my pals in the US 'nigger' all the time but they are all white like myself and grew up with LA street patois like myself ('say, blood...')

btw, it's not 'fukcing falang' that you have to deal with...it is 'falang, fukc you'...such is the result of local efforts to promote english language education at the primary level...whatever happened to 'hello, how are you...'?

'sawadee-kap'?...shee-it...'sawadee-kap yo' mama...'

[cdnvic]

tutsiwarrior  I think that he did not know what he had said and that he was running cause he was being chased by a 130kg farang warrior on a bicycle.

Be careful mouse. Logic and sensibility may de-stabilize this whole community.

cv

[Begs]

Has anyone here had thai friends telling them that the word "farang" is derogatory?

If no, what is the bloody problem? What kind of logic is that?

MeeMiaThai, it gives these whinging farangs something else to Moan about, why dont they all just get the next flight out, Jesus h Christ, they moan about everything, get back to UK, whinging bloody Poms........

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Has anyone here had thai friends telling them that the word "farang" is derogatory?

If no, what is the bloody problem?  What kind of logic is that?

MeeMiaThai, it gives these whinging farangs something else to Moan about, why dont they all just get the next flight out, Jesus h Christ, they moan about everything, get back to UK, whinging bloody Poms........

Seconded...but it ain't all pommies

[meemiathai]

jai yen yen

[meemiathai]

sabai sabai

[dr_Pat_Pong]

sabai sabai

A double post ? Is Bud back ?

[meemiathai]

You mean the American Captain?

Oh how I miss his posts!

[stumonster]

what does maxidar mean?

and kwiz I think your fruit is a guava

I think anyone would appreciate being told, fareng watch out before that green bus runs you over...

[kasi]

When I was here in thailand 25 years ago someone I forget who, explained to me the word farang meant "white devil" from the white colonial escapades. I'm taking thai language courses now and cant find anyone to substanciate that definition.

Back then being young dumb a full of cum I believed it had a derogatory meaning.

Looking back I remember entering villages upcountry then and being surrounded by young children chanting "falang, falang, falang", they all seemed happy enough at the time. I never got run out on a rail.

There might be some lingering derogatory meaning but I sure havent found any evidence yet.

I see plenty of "stupid farangs" everyday here in Patong They lay out on the beaches all day trying to become black. Go figure.

I see a "stupid farang" in the mirror every morning. I feel stupid sometimes learning thai but most of the thai people I meet are very encouraging.

[D80]

Hiya,

Have to admit, I didn't read all the posts... sorry... some are a bit too long for me.

Personally I don't like referring to my western friends as farang. It is just me.

The word, as far as I know, doesn't really have any bad connotation to it. From what I have heard, the term derives from when the westerners Thais had contact with were mostly French...Francais... which to the Thai's pronunciation "Fa-rang-sate" (later shorten to "farang".

My hubby sometimes call himself 'farang' as well. He doesn't take it seriously.

BTW the correct pronunciation is not with the L sound (ล) but more like the R sound (ร in Thai ฝรั่ง).

I can understand why some people might not like being called 'farang'. To me, the word is a bit too impersonal. It's like lumping people with certain looks/features together (since farang, as I understand it, means someone who is white-westerners). But I don't think people who use the word mean any harm. It also depends on the context as well.

If you don't like being called farang then I would suggest saying so (politely). Unfortunately, sometimes, you will just have to put up with it.

Most of the time, the Thais don't mean any harm when they use the word. It's just out of habit for some people, really.

[tuky]

I would never call a black person darkie (which I understand, is the politically correct word for a toothpaste)

Actually Axel, they have changed the name of said toothpaste to "Darlie" which I would take to be the politically correct term.

In Singapore we are all Ang Moh, which means red hair but is now loosely banded around as a white guy.

I don't care what I get called by outsiders, as long as my family and freinds love me. Thats all that really matters.

[Bluecat]

I don't care what I get called by outsiders, as long as my family and freinds love me. Thats all that really matters.

I think a lot of farang people in Thailand should meditate about that comment, Tukyleith,...

[tutsiwarrior]

takes us back to previous posting on this thread...what if your friends and family call you falang when they know your name?

do they love you???

[Bluecat]

takes us back to previous posting on this thread...what if your friends and family call you falang when they know your name?

do they love you???

Does it happen?

If it really does, I pity the farang you're talking about,...

[mrmnp]

Having read six pages of posts carefully and having not seen any mention of this point of view, I submit it with apologies if it has already been covered.

My best Thai friend is from Issan where he says white skin is highly prized. The lighter the skin, the more beautiful the person. Chinese-Thai with whiter skin are considered more beautiful of skin than dark brown Thai farmers.

Most of the skin lotions I see for sale here in Thailand have whitening agents in them or when applied turn the face white. I tried one by mistake.

I don't see how a desireable skin color, when used as a term to describe someone, can be derogatory. I have heard my dear Thai friend refer to me as a farang to his friends for ease of reference, as I am the only farang in his life.

Refering to the guests in his hotel as farang, merely describes them in a distinguishing fashion that is complimentary as he is proud of the fact that farang choose his hotel in which to stay.

The term farang also carries with it a note of forgiveness, as I don't think Thais expect farang to conform to their cultural nuances or taboos. My experience in Asia, from Japan down further south to Thailand leads me to believe that farang or those with white skin are given a free pass for many of their social faux paxs.

The use of farang by farang probably equates to foreigner, as in "don't quote me the farang price", I don't think, as many in this thread have pointed out, the Thais mean it that way as the Japanese use Gaijin to me foreigner, ie. non-Japanese person.

I wonder if a deeply tanned tourist is still referred to as a farang? And if so, could it have a differnt meaning other than "white skinned person" when tourists are talked of?

[tutsiwarrior]

yeah...it does happen...took over 6 months for wife's family, friends and our neighbors to refer to me by my name...I didn't understand and thought that I was doing something to offend them. The wife didn't say nothing so I put it down to country folks not good with social graces. Things are OK now after a year.

LOS OK if you are a tourist and got money to spend in fancy resorts...not quite the same at street level.

[meemiathai]

takes us back to previous posting on this thread...what if your friends and family call you falang when they know your name?

do they love you???

Does it happen?

If it really does, I pity the farang you're talking about,...

Yes, it does.

Pity me? No, please.

Which one do you guys prefer?

to be called "Khun XXX" politely but deep inside them you're just the walking ATM, or to be called "farang" but with love & respect?

do they love you???

Yes, I say it with confidence!