What does being called a Farang mean to you? Good or bad?

[FiftyTwo]

I could care less, if I am called a Farang, thats OK, just do not call me late for dinner!

Cheers

But you aren't a white foreigner, so why would they call you that.

I would imagine they would call you "kairk"

Edited January 20, 2014 by FiftyTwo

[thailiketoo]

Thai Visa has many rules.

One is not to treat all people according to race ........ Apart from this word, it is enforced.

No need to post the word ever.

Not valid to aim comments at "white foreigners".

Racism should never be excused.

In your example Lara they should have called you "LooKa" the Thai word for customer.

You race was not relevant to the purchase, unless you were wanting cosmetics without skin whitening (good luck with that).

Why don't you report them?

Edited January 20, 2014 by thailiketoo

[aussimike]

LOL, love all the whiners.. oh not this thread again.

No, i don't appreciate being called farang. Its reminds of the Japanese word Gaijin.

I dont say "Hay, Thai Lady"

i object to the word entirely, always have and guess always will - and even more annoying when when another FARANG refers to me as a FARANG - to him i am not a FARANG i am an expat- it can be used in both forms - possitive and neg, mostly in the neg from, so why not just ban the use of the word here when being used by TV members to refer to white men, europeans, white guys, and the chinese are a lot whiter than I am - i know - i am married to a gorgous very white skin chinese and not a bottle of whitening lotion in our house... hope yoiu all have a white day -

[transam]

LOL, love all the whiners.. oh not this thread again.

No, i don't appreciate being called farang. Its reminds of the Japanese word Gaijin.

I dont say "Hay, Thai Lady"

i object to the word entirely, always have and guess always will - and even more annoying when when another FARANG refers to me as a FARANG - to him i am not a FARANG i am an expat- it can be used in both forms - possitive and neg, mostly in the neg from, so why not just ban the use of the word here when being used by TV members to refer to white men, europeans, white guys, and the chinese are a lot whiter than I am - i know - i am married to a gorgous very white skin chinese and not a bottle of whitening lotion in our house... hope yoiu all have a white day -

, ..........gawd 'elp your wife..............

[little mary sunshine]

SSDD..............

[thailiketoo]

LOL, love all the whiners.. oh not this thread again.

No, i don't appreciate being called farang. Its reminds of the Japanese word Gaijin.

I dont say "Hay, Thai Lady"

i object to the word entirely, always have and guess always will - and even more annoying when when another FARANG refers to me as a FARANG - to him i am not a FARANG i am an expat- it can be used in both forms - possitive and neg, mostly in the neg from, so why not just ban the use of the word here when being used by TV members to refer to white men, europeans, white guys, and the chinese are a lot whiter than I am - i know - i am married to a gorgous very white skin chinese and not a bottle of whitening lotion in our house... hope yoiu all have a white day -

Don't forget Septic Tank. I don't want to be called Septic Tank. You will have to admit that Septic Tank is a lot worse than Farang. If we are looking at comparing words. Unless you want to compare motivation. If the Thais think calling you Farang is funny then it should be OK! After all fair is fair. What is good for the Matilda's should be good for the Somchai's.

[CIHUAHUA]

Wear it with pride but don't call me, fat boy, hey you, ars hol, rat face, old geezer, red-nose, "Yank" "colonist" (ha ha) , How many times do we do this question and why do I even answer?

[tonyPhuket]

Trying to figure out the core definition of "Farang" - Maybe this word is meant for people who could not speak or write Thai language in regardless of their nationality. If some expats live in Thailand too long, would they been better off by saying they are Thai-ish residents? Of course, I dont expect Thai people to understand that. In other words, most Thai people would agree that "Farang" is probably the best traditional word.

[thailiketoo]

Trying to figure out the core definition of "Farang" - Maybe this word is meant for people who could not speak or write Thai language in regardless of their nationality. If some expats live in Thailand too long, would they been better off by saying they are Thai-ish residents? Of course, I dont expect Thai people to understand that. In other words, most Thai people would agree that "Farang" is probably the best traditional word.

It is a lot better than words used by Farang to refer to other people in their own or other Farang countries.

[NexusWR]

I never got the impression it was used to insult me, more to identify me.

I definitely heard it being used insultingly to other farangs that were drunk or being a general nuisance, but most of the time they had a point. Any word can be an insult, used in the right context.

Edited January 20, 2014 by NexusWR

[Benmart]

It means nothing to me. I have more pressing issues such as eating, sleeping sight-seeing, interacting with people and enriching my life and that of others i come into contact with.

[bigjoelo]

Just "kill 'em with a smile". That's what I do. It doesn't bother me at all.

[maderaroja]

Where I come from, a stranger is most often called "neighbor", "friend", "partner" or some other word to ease the pain of not being able to addres them by their name. Being called "foreigner" all of the time is offensive and anti-social to me. It is not condusive to any future friendship, but only stimulates alienation.

[thailiketoo]

Where I come from, a stranger is most often called "neighbor", "friend", "partner" or some other word to ease the pain of not being able to addres them by their name. Being called "foreigner" all of the time is offensive and anti-social to me. It is not condusive to any future friendship, but only stimulates alienation.

I moved from the North of the USA to the South and I was used to being called Yankee or that dam* Yankee.

Then I got some Australian neighbors and well.........

[Curt1591]

I find it a bit annoying/awkward when at a table, with a group, and I am referred to as "the farang".

Makes one feel a bit excluded.

[FiftyTwo]

I find it a bit annoying/awkward when at a table, with a group, and I am referred to as "the farang".

Makes one feel a bit excluded.

Refuse to pay for everyone.

Go to the toilet, leave by the back door usually works.

[Theoutsider]

I tell them we are all related.

[HeavyDrinker]

LOL, love all the whiners.. oh not this thread again.

No, i don't appreciate being called farang. Its reminds of the Japanese word Gaijin.

I dont say "Hay, Thai Lady"

i object to the word entirely, always have and guess always will - and even more annoying when when another FARANG refers to me as a FARANG - to him i am not a FARANG i am an expat- it can be used in both forms - possitive and neg, mostly in the neg from, so why not just ban the use of the word here when being used by TV members to refer to white men, europeans, white guys, and the chinese are a lot whiter than I am - i know - i am married to a gorgous very white skin chinese and not a bottle of whitening lotion in our house... hope yoiu all have a white day -

I'm with you on this...It riles me when some buffoon is trying to show off his "bar girl Thai" skills and refers to me as "Farang" (though it's nearly always "faLang" as if that makes him seem more proficient)

[mdmayes]

That is a loaded question.

[maderaroja]

We ought to come up with an equally offensive word that we use for eveyone who uses the word "farang." And, we should use it consistently as a group.

[thailiketoo]

We ought to come up with an equally offensive word that we use for eveyone who uses the word "farang." And, we should use it consistently as a group.

My vote is for, "Dunny boys."

[tonyPhuket]

Trying to figure out the core definition of "Farang" - Maybe this word is meant for people who could not speak or write Thai language in regardless of their nationality. If some expats live in Thailand too long, would they been better off by saying they are Thai-ish residents? Of course, I dont expect Thai people to understand that. In other words, most Thai people would agree that "Farang" is probably the best traditional word.

It is a lot better than words used by Farang to refer to other people in their own or other Farang countries.

Yup, I agree. Also if the farang can do fluent Thai beautifully, then this will somewhat put most Thai people into a dilemma whether to call her/him Thai or farang.

[wolfmanjack]

Yes is it an innocent descriptor of race, equivalent in every way to "caucasian", which is used by police and officialdom every day in farangland.

If you associate with disrespectful people in geographic areas and industries that make their living catering to foreigners, especially those in the business of scamming them, you may well hear people use the term with tones and facial expression implying contempt.

Just like angry poor people will use "rich folk" as a pejorative.

However both from a pure linguistic POV and 99.99% of the time in Thailand, it is used meaning no disrespect at all.

Note that Thais often use such "objectifying" labels rather than names when talking about people, even in their presence and in some cases when addressing them directly - we are all familiar with "pi" and "nong", "uncle" "fat guy", "old guy" etc used in place of names.

Again this is a feature of the Thai grammar, not an indicator of disrespect. If your family members referring to you as "the farang" in their conversations bothers you, politely ask them to use their name instead. They will think you're weird, but this is only one of hundreds of ways we're weird and they're used to us being weird, but if you remind them a gazillion times, those that are invested in your not getting irritated at them may well comply with your weird wishes.

Then we come to the topic of racism. Some people feel that there shouldn't be ANY acknowledgement of race in day-to-day conversations. Well, sorry Thais are very racist as a culture, not much can be done about that. In the case of us honkeys however, we BENEFIT from that racism much more than suffer from it, often being accorded a much higher class/status than we should get in reality. Petty overcharging issues certainly pale in comparison to the general contempt offered to African/middle-Eastern/Indian people here, so stop whingeing and suck it up, that's not RACISM. Plus most of us being males are also taking advantage of their ingrained patriarchal patterns, so stop whingeing and suck it up!

Guava were apparently brought to Thailand by European traders in the 16th-17th centuries, most likely the Portuguese, so just like we call little oranges "mandarins", Thais named the fruit after us, not vice-versa.

The word itself is most likely derived from the Franks, who dominated Europe from the 6th century on - you've probably heard of Charlemagne? This of course is not equivalent to "French", but definitely related, there was no "French" language or nation until many centuries later, long after the Franks were involved in conquest and crusades stretching into the territories where Pali and Sanskrit developed, and many many languages in the regions between there and here use this word to label white people of European descent.

Of course all this is just scholarly opinion and theory, no one really knows.

But it remains a fact that linguistically the word "farang" is in itself not pejorative, any more than the word "prostitute" is. Some people may dislike the class of people labeled with the term and therefore they USE it pejoratively, but the word itself has no such meaning, the emotional connotations must be inferred by context.

It doesn't bother me when most thais use the word falang but it would if my wife's family did.

[Evolare]

Oh, Please.....how about an I'm having trouble with my educated high class Thai/Chinese GF and her high ranking military family'' post just for something different....?

i can if you want :-)

i have problem with my educated high class Thai/Chinese GF and her high ranking military family...

their dam dogs barks all night usually when we visit them and is pissing me of can i shoot the dogs with her brothers service gun and get away with it?

[avander]

I think nothing of the the word. To me it's just the same as someone calling a person "Asian".

And, yes... with all and any connotations that may bring, good, bad or indifferent.

Originally, I did enough research to satisfy myself that by itself, it wasn't an insult.

[tingtongtingtong]

Its none of my business what people think. When people start throwing things at me is when I will start to worry.

http://www.theartofadd.com/2012/11/08/worrying-about-others/

[wym]

if the farang can do fluent Thai beautifully, then this will somewhat put most Thai people into a dilemma whether to call her/him Thai or farang.

No matter how perfectly a person speaks Thai (the language) they will never BE Thai (the people). Even if Bill Heinecke, an American who grew up in Thailand, abandoned his American passport and became a Thai citizen billionaire‎ would never be anything but a farang to Thais. And I'd be willing to bet half of my fortune against half of his that he doesn't mind it when they refer to him as that.

NOTE - I am NOT suggesting that if it bothers you should just let it go if people that should know your name continue to CALL YOU farang, as in "hey farang" unless of course loved ones are teasing you. Just keep reminding them - calmly - and most of them will remember that you have that strange need for them to use your name and they should comply.

In general the term Farang/Falang doesn't worry me in the least , I use it myself .

I am irritated when very young children shout Falang at me as if to insult .

That's your inference, not their intention, absolutely certain of that. In more remote locations it may be equivalent to when a moose (rarely seen in these parts) came through town, everyone was shouting "moose moose!" in surprise and joy. In other places it might mean "maybe he'll buy us sweets!" but they are not taunting you. Were you mercilessly teased in school as a child?

[wym]

Thai Visa has many rules.

One is not to treat all people according to race ........ Apart from this word, it is enforced.

No need to post the word ever.

Not valid to aim comments at "white foreigners".

Racism should never be excused.

In your example Lara they should have called you "LooKa" the Thai word for customer.

You race was not relevant to the purchase, unless you were wanting cosmetics without skin whitening (good luck with that).

Referring to people by their race is not "racism". Nor is assuming you're rich and stupid and therefore trying to overcharge or even blatantly cheat you. Racism is when one is denied a job or housing or health care or beaten up or forced to live in a designated location, SERIOUS discrimination.

Not to say Thais aren't racist - they are, in thoughts and attitude, preferences in a boyfriend etc. But not often in this serious sense, and 99.9% of the time against neighbor nationalities and dark-skinned people, not honkeys.

Farang in Thailand are actually PRIVILEGED by our skin color far more than suffering for it, so get over yourself.

Trying to enforce language use in an internet forum is pretty ridiculous, let's not add to TV's ridiculousness.

i object to the word entirely, always have and guess always will - and even more annoying when when another FARANG refers to me as a FARANG - to him i am not a FARANG i am an expat- it can be used in both forms - possitive and neg, mostly in the neg from, so why not just ban the use of the word here when being used by TV members to refer to white men, europeans, white guys, and the chinese are a lot whiter than I am - i know - i am married to a gorgous very white skin chinese and not a bottle of whitening lotion in our house... hope yoiu all have a white day -

An asian person is never a farang no matter their nationality nor how white skinned they may be. It refers to caucasians, light-skinned people of EUROPEAN descent.

And yes, someone who hates white people (in the English sense of caucasian) might just use "white man" in a derogatory manner. That doesn't make the term itself offensive.

People who choose to take offense at these terms, just as with "old" or "fat" or "crippled" really need to thicken up their skin a bit. As "elderly" "overweight" and "handicapped" end up being used more widely, then THOSE words are deemed offensive, "disabled" is outlawed, then even "physically challenged" and pretty soon you get such nonsense as "differently abled" and "special needs" are advocated by the self-righteous politically correct.

Idiotic. . .

If I'm an old blind fat man, feel free to call me so. If you use the terms with the intention of hurting me, that's my problem if I choose to take offense, but the fault lies with your evil intention, not the words themselves.

[khrab]

Yes is it an innocent descriptor of race, equivalent in every way to "caucasian", which is used by police and officialdom every day in farangland.

If you associate with disrespectful people in geographic areas and industries that make their living catering to foreigners, especially those in the business of scamming them, you may well hear people use the term with tones and facial expression implying contempt.

Just like angry poor people will use "rich folk" as a pejorative.

However both from a pure linguistic POV and 99.99% of the time in Thailand, it is used meaning no disrespect at all.

Note that Thais often use such "objectifying" labels rather than names when talking about people, even in their presence and in some cases when addressing them directly - we are all familiar with "pi" and "nong", "uncle" "fat guy", "old guy" etc used in place of names.

Again this is a feature of the Thai grammar, not an indicator of disrespect. If your family members referring to you as "the farang" in their conversations bothers you, politely ask them to use their name instead. They will think you're weird, but this is only one of hundreds of ways we're weird and they're used to us being weird, but if you remind them a gazillion times, those that are invested in your not getting irritated at them may well comply with your weird wishes.

Then we come to the topic of racism. Some people feel that there shouldn't be ANY acknowledgement of race in day-to-day conversations. Well, sorry Thais are very racist as a culture, not much can be done about that. In the case of us honkeys however, we BENEFIT from that racism much more than suffer from it, often being accorded a much higher class/status than we should get in reality. Petty overcharging issues certainly pale in comparison to the general contempt offered to African/middle-Eastern/Indian people here, so stop whingeing and suck it up, that's not RACISM. Plus most of us being males are also taking advantage of their ingrained patriarchal patterns, so stop whingeing and suck it up!

Guava were apparently brought to Thailand by European traders in the 16th-17th centuries, most likely the Portuguese, so just like we call little oranges "mandarins", Thais named the fruit after us, not vice-versa.

The word itself is most likely derived from the Franks, who dominated Europe from the 6th century on - you've probably heard of Charlemagne? This of course is not equivalent to "French", but definitely related, there was no "French" language or nation until many centuries later, long after the Franks were involved in conquest and crusades stretching into the territories where Pali and Sanskrit developed, and many many languages in the regions between there and here use this word to label white people of European descent.

Of course all this is just scholarly opinion and theory, no one really knows.

But it remains a fact that linguistically the word "farang" is in itself not pejorative, any more than the word "prostitute" is. Some people may dislike the class of people labeled with the term and therefore they USE it pejoratively, but the word itself has no such meaning, the emotional connotations must be inferred by context.

The word itself is most likely derived from the Franks, who dominated Europe from the 6th century on - you've probably heard of Charlemagne? This of course is not equivalent to "French", but definitely related, there was no "French" language or nation until many centuries later, long after the Franks were involved in conquest and crusades stretching into the territories where Pali and Sanskrit developed, and many many languages in the regions between there and here use this word to label white people of European descent.

"Farang" is short for "Frangset".

Now look at the French word for "French" = français. And now prononce this word by Thai pronounciation rules!

[MILT]

Blhat blaoes blhat blousalled bla Farang bla bla bla? Good or bad?

mmmmmmmkay