Are Thai people racist? They keeping calling me "Farang"!

[KRaymond]

But you are a falang

[kirstymelb101]

I get called Farang all the time, and I used to absolutely hate it.

Especially since I'm Thai myself, and being called an 'Outsider' by my own people isn't pleasant..

because I grew up in Oz I'm considered to be different.

Thai's who call me 'Farang' I just see them as narrow minded.

[colomboserb]

I think people just don't like being referred to as a "something". If a shop keeper says "i'm going to go and serve this gay looking guy" or "this fat looking woman" its a label like "this farang" or "this farang dam".

Yes your spot on mate. Every country you have a term for an outsider ( to dehumanize them) its true. In UK they call everyone a Packi , even if your Indian or Arab.

In Italy and spain they call all forigners they dont "know where they are from" a Maroccan, In USA they call you a mexican if you dont fit in in there "White and Black" theory of people in USA.

In Sri Lanka they call everyone that they dont think is local (Sudda) Means White guy . even if he is an african they call him that. .. They simply label people to dehumanize them from locals.

[tragickingdom]

The Thai middle class is probably racist but what do you expect in an education system in which university lecturers can sport the weakness of non royalists but not a banner on which Hitler figurates next to Captain America and Superman?

Go and sit down with the upperclass and they will tell you that a dark skinned Thai is low class. But I sincerely doubt that Thai people in general are more racist than an American, European or someone from Japan.

If you feel offended by the use of the term "farang" try to turn the table. When a Thai Chinese ask you when you are going home, ask a counter question and ask them when they go back home. When someone calls you a farang tell them twice you don;t like the term and if they use the term again use a term that they don't like that is used to point out the people of the area they come from.

It is just an habit and if you always feel offended, see if you can get to an uninhabited island.
A Farang

[arnold40844]

Small minded is a better word than racist there are a few shops I don't go in anymore because of it. I have 2 kids with dual British/Thai nationality, my daughter is starting school next year and I do worry about the possibility of her being branded a farang which in my view would be bullying.

[Thaddeus]

Yes they are racist. Farang is a racist term no matter how much Thais try to say it is not. It is plain and simple. Any word like this that is used to identify a certain ethnic group that is not part of "us" is racist. Imagine back in our homeland (whatever country it may be) and you are asian and you overhear the wait staff at restaurant say: "You take the table with the Asian at it."

Imagine walking down the street and people pointing at you and nudging their partner "hey, hey, look! An Asian."

How about clearing up a traffic ticket at the local cop shop and when you bring the ticket in to retrieve your driver's license, the cop looks at you and shakes is head and says "Oh you asian."

But I don't get mad at the Thais. They don't understand it is racist. I try to educate them in a joking manner. "Duu Duu Duu farang!! " I stop and point back and say "Du du du,,, Khon Thai."

So if Thais are talking about farang food they're being racist?

Agreed, no they are not.

Ahan Chow - breakfast, ahan farang - western food.

As Bananarama pointed out "It ain't what you say, it's the way that you say it"

Used in isolation with flat intonation it means nothing more than a description, like calling a tin of beans a tin of beans, because that is what it is. It can be used as an insult but it requires the addition of more words and/or inflection.

[colomboserb]

The Thai middle class is probably racist but what do you expect in an education system in which university lecturers can sport the weakness of non royalists but not a banner on which Hitler figurates next to Captain America and Superman?

Go and sit down with the upperclass and they will tell you that a dark skinned Thai is low class. But I sincerely doubt that Thai people in general are more racist than an American, European or someone from Japan.

If you feel offended by the use of the term "farang" try to turn the table. When a Thai Chinese ask you when you are going home, ask a counter question and ask them when they go back home. When someone calls you a farang tell them twice you don;t like the term and if they use the term again use a term that they don't like that is used to point out the people of the area they come from.

It is just an habit and if you always feel offended, see if you can get to an uninhabited island.

A Farang

I agree its the intelecutal way of answering the question. Honestly if i was 100 % white i would just laugh , white people rule the world. Now its happen to be i am half lankan , if someone call me farang , i would take offence , mostly culturaly . Cos my sri lankan side actually gave so much to Thailand ( formely siam) Thailand basicly is named after sri lankan holidays "Thai Poya" Free day.

Thailand = Free Country. The flag , Theravada, all the temples starting with SRI . ...And yes.... the bear SIngha Sri lanka is the lands of the Sinhalese the lion people.

Anyhow we see the thai people as our brothers.

[kirk0233]

 

I think people just don't like being referred to as a "something". If a shop keeper says "i'm going to go and serve this gay looking guy" or "this fat looking woman" its a label like "this farang" or "this farang dam".

Yes your spot on mate. Every country you have a term for an outsider ( to dehumanize them) its true. In UK they call everyone a Packi , even if your Indian or Arab.

In Italy and spain they call all forigners they dont "know where they are from" a Maroccan, In USA they call you a mexican if you dont fit in in there "White and Black" theory of people in USA.

In Sri Lanka they call everyone that they dont think is local (Sudda) Means White guy . even if he is an african they call him that. .. They simply label people to dehumanize them from locals.

 

Farang is a reference to a outsiders that are so un-Thai that further distinction with regard to nationality, culture etc is not necessary, of interest or important. It defines what is Thai as much as what is not Thai and serves a purpose of social control by keeping Thais Thai and diminshes the westernization of Thailand with "new ideas" that might corrupt local control of the populace.

[Bluetongue]

I get called Farang all the time, and I used to absolutely hate it.

Especially since I'm Thai myself, and being called an 'Outsider' by my own people isn't pleasant..

because I grew up in Oz I'm considered to be different.

Thai's who call me 'Farang' I just see them as narrow minded.

Unless you don't speak Thai I suppose, but without speaking how would they know?

[tozmos]

Farang is a small exotic fruit of the Caucasian flavour rather used to intimidate oranges in Vietnam and Oblongotongs in DR Congo. From studies I have been involved with being called a fruit is not racist but if you are of a homosexual persuasion this term could be taken as homophobic... as in "ooo you are a bit of a fruit"

[Berkshire]

Small minded is a better word than racist there are a few shops I don't go in anymore because of it. I have 2 kids with dual British/Thai nationality, my daughter is starting school next year and I do worry about the possibility of her being branded a farang which in my view would be bullying.

Bullying?? Lord have mercy. I'm sure the OP is laughing his ass off with this thread. It seems "small minded" people are trying to find reasons to be offended by something completely inoffensive.

[h90]

The Thai middle class is probably racist but what do you expect in an education system in which university lecturers can sport the weakness of non royalists but not a banner on which Hitler figurates next to Captain America and Superman?

Go and sit down with the upperclass and they will tell you that a dark skinned Thai is low class. But I sincerely doubt that Thai people in general are more racist than an American, European or someone from Japan.

If you feel offended by the use of the term "farang" try to turn the table. When a Thai Chinese ask you when you are going home, ask a counter question and ask them when they go back home. When someone calls you a farang tell them twice you don;t like the term and if they use the term again use a term that they don't like that is used to point out the people of the area they come from.

It is just an habit and if you always feel offended, see if you can get to an uninhabited island.

A Farang

I never heard that dark skinned Thais are labeled as low class by other Thais, only by Farangs.

Dark skin is looked as being ugly, looking bad. Many very successful Thais are very dark skinned. Look at Suthep for example. On yesterdays pictures he was always black and on the stand they joked that they can't tell if he is red (skin not politics) or black.

being black is seen like having acne...it looks ugly but it isn't low class.

[Bangkok45]

Dark skinned, European descent, Oriental??? You are not close to being a farang. Where did you come from? Area 51? You are an ALIEN, man!

[h90]

I get called Farang all the time, and I used to absolutely hate it.

Especially since I'm Thai myself, and being called an 'Outsider' by my own people isn't pleasant..

because I grew up in Oz I'm considered to be different.

Thai's who call me 'Farang' I just see them as narrow minded.

I know a Danish guy who is Thai ethnic, he learned Thai, his wife is Thai and he of course looks like a Thai and he owns a very big very nice restaurant in Thailand.

He is very upset that everyone sees him as Thai, as he is Danish, not Thai, he just happens to look Thai.

[Andre0720]

I do get get re-stimulations when I hear the word 'farang'

You get a hard-on mate? Kinky!

I was wondering where in the world that came from????

My mistake.

Meant to write 'I do NOT get re-stimulations when I hear the word 'farang'

[Berkshire]

The Thai middle class is probably racist but what do you expect in an education system in which university lecturers can sport the weakness of non royalists but not a banner on which Hitler figurates next to Captain America and Superman?

Go and sit down with the upperclass and they will tell you that a dark skinned Thai is low class. But I sincerely doubt that Thai people in general are more racist than an American, European or someone from Japan.

If you feel offended by the use of the term "farang" try to turn the table. When a Thai Chinese ask you when you are going home, ask a counter question and ask them when they go back home. When someone calls you a farang tell them twice you don;t like the term and if they use the term again use a term that they don't like that is used to point out the people of the area they come from.

It is just an habit and if you always feel offended, see if you can get to an uninhabited island.

A Farang

I never heard that dark skinned Thais are labeled as low class by other Thais, only by Farangs.

Agree, 100%. Farangs created the myth, perpetuate it, and as often as possible, criticize the Thais about it.

[Johnnie99]

Farang , simply means foriegner, that is no racist term in itself, but the manner and tone in which it is used can be offensive, in my opinion. To use and old phrase, its not what you say its the way you say it.

Quite right. The word 'farang' has changed its meaning from a simply descriptive into one of denigration or abuse.

People will say "oh, it's just their way of pointing out someone not Thai' but that in itself is the essence of racism.

And hell yes! Thai people are not only racist (with good reason, often) but also xenophobic (with much less reason).

[pizzachang]

I believe the O.P. has confused xenophobia with racism. I have noticed some of the former - i.e. anyone who is not a Thai. But I have noticed on occasion some references in 'Thai conversations' to some person being not 100% Thai. Part Chinese get the brunt of this, I think. Or someone from Myanmar.

[lucifer666]

My Thai neighbours often told visitors that I'm not " that Farang" "He's English". When I asked the missus about this, she said that the literal translation of the word " Farang" means Western Barbarian, and because I'm friendly and not barbaric in my actions., I'm no longer classed as a Farang ( well, not to the neighbours).

I'm still unsure whether it's a compliment or not.

[transam]

My Thai neighbours often told visitors that I'm not " that Farang" "He's English". When I asked the missus about this, she said that the literal translation of the word " Farang" means Western Barbarian, and because I'm friendly and not barbaric in my actions., I'm no longer classed as a Farang ( well, not to the neighbours).

I'm still unsure whether it's a compliment or not.

Rubbish...............

[kannot]

Next time you might be rewarded with a gang beating...

totster

or banging?

[klauskunkel]

You said I no falang, can not can not.

Well said falang!

that will give them something to thing about:

"what is that Farang talking about?"

yes, it will give them nightmares

[RuskiCat]

I found the solution for this issue. My mechanic kept calling me farang. So i started calling him Kon Asia. He kept grumbling that he is Thai and i told him i am russian. After a while he just started calling me by my name. He horribly mispronounces it but better than "hey farang, new oil?"

[arnold40844]

another child a "Paki" in a UK school. Please explain as I'm failing to see your view of this.

You serious? There are certain words that are in fact derogatory, I assume "Paki" being one. Same as Jap, Chink, Nigger, wet-back, honky, etc, in the US. However, there are other words used to describe ethnicity that are not derogatory, such as Asian, Hispanic, Arab, Caucasian, native American, African-American, gaijin, and yes, "farang."

So what don't you get about this?

How is it different from a child calling

The only reason that Nigger is considered offensive Berkshire is the context its been used in. All i'm saying is that Nigger is a noun that has been used for centuries to refer to black people, it became offensive when people started using in an offensive way. Farang is a noun used by Thai's to refer to white people and I hear it all the time being used in an offensive way and most often used to imply prejudgment based on race. For all they know i could have grown up here.

In the 21 century there is no "good" context to use the word.

Absolutely agree. Even the thought of saying the word makes most people shudder with how wrong it is, people go to prison for saying it, loose their jobs etc. But it is just a word, the only meaning it has is its the context its used in. There is nothing wrong with the word "Farang", but Thailand along with most of the world does seem to have preconceived prejudices when it comes to outsiders.

[razer]

Farang , simply means foriegner, that is no racist term in itself, but the manner and tone in which it is used can be offensive, in my opinion. To use and old phrase, its not what you say its the way you say it.

Academics -

Dehumanizing the enemy - Making individuals from the opposing nation, from a different ethnic group, or those who support the opposing viewpoint appear to be less human, worthless, or immoral, through stereotyping and by assigning that group a non-human name. The military finds dehumanizing makes it easier for soldiers to kill the enemy. Terms like kraut for a German; frog for the French; Chink for Chinese, Slope Head or Gook for the Southeast Asian all serve to dehumanize a group of people by removing the element of national identity or origin ................... I think we can add farang to the list.

[Jawnie]

Farang , simply means foriegner, that is no racist term in itself, but the manner and tone in which it is used can be offensive, in my opinion. To use and old phrase, its not what you say its the way you say it.

I've heard this explanation before, that farang simply means foreigner. But, the world is a little more sophisticated than that, I'd say, and this incessant use of farang, instead of the country name, strikes me as racist. I don't call my Chinese friends 'asians', I call them Chinese...same with Japanese, Korean, etc. Same for Germans, Russiasn, Italian, etc. I think you get my drift....things are a little more sophisticated in some places that don't just lump people into general categories. Sure, the kids didn't know what country OP was from - they are kids. But, really, after you've been around people from other countries, cultures and languages for a while, it's not that hard to figure which country they are from....then you use the country word, not the generalized name. Thais don't do this, that makes it stereotypical, if not racist.

[morrobay]

The Thai language is very limited, about 25000 words compared to about 1000,000 for English. Its not about the words its about their actions.If Thais are hostile and negative to you because your a foreigner, then Thais are racist. I think they are. I have a very negative opinion of most Thais because of their actions. But that is not racist because I take that viewpoint with all nationalities.

Edited November 5, 2013 by morrobay

[bermondburi]

Farang , simply means foriegner, that is no racist term in itself, but the manner and tone in which it is used can be offensive, in my opinion. To use and old phrase, its not what you say its the way you say it.

Better then the aribic word for foriegner "infiedel" which translates to inferier.

it means a non-believer not inferior .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infidel

[ayayay]

Yes, Thai people are extremely racist.

The biggest problem is, that many of us, enjoy playing the role of the "crazy farang", the dancing monkey.

I know, I used to enjoy it myself, I constantly called myself "farang", and especially around Thais, I thought it was all fun.

Now, many years later, I understand, it is just stupid to call ourselves "farang" as it is indeed racist.

How are Thais ever gonna learn, if even we, ourselves call ourselves "farang"!?

It is just ignorant and stupid.

[wileycoyote]

You get used to it