What's the meaning of "Farang Dong" ?

[Danielsiam]

I hear many times a thai girls saying me "oyyy Farang dong"

What's the meaning ?

I hear that one time, it's a foreigner who is a newbies, and one time that foreigner knows much about Thailand, so I don't have any idea of the real meaning

[TommyTucker]

Slang expression, basically translates to pickled farang.

[Mole]

ฝรั่งดอง is somewhat derogatory term for people who are half Caucasian/Asian who has obvious appearance to be neither fully Asian nor Caucasian.

Some people gets called that based on their appearance despite not being half.

[tgeezer]

I cannot gain say Mole but it is worth considering the impression you had; after all not everyone knows what they are saying. Directly translating into English I could see how it might well refer to a person who had assimilated into the ways of the speaker, her society or country- steeped in Thai ways.

This is actually the situation of a ลูกครึ่ง too; not all of them have been brought up in Thailand and this could have defined those that have.

Edited April 22, 2014 by tgeezer

[katana]

I've only seen it used in a derogatory fashion before, and one dictionary I looked in translates it as Western riffraff.

[tgeezer]

I've only seen it used in a derogatory fashion before, and one dictionary I looked in translates it as Western riffraff.

You're one up on me then, I have never heard it said!

In the Thai dictionary it is very similar to the word 'pickle', there is also a slang meaning of 'pickled' which is 'drunk'.

There could be many meanings depending on who is saying it, we can't know unless we ask them.

[napawan28]

In the right is fresh guava (or farang in Thai) and in the left is pickled guava (or farang dong)

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[napawan28]

May be your next question "Falang chae buay" or Guava marinated in plum sauce .

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[Thaddeus]

I bow before the culinary expertise of napawan, however, that isn't relevant at all.

What does it mean when a person is called that, not a piece of fruit.

Personally, I have never heard it (not a big fruit eater, Scottish blood)

[napawan28]

Oh! I know now what you mean I think it may be refer to some foreigner that cannot come back to their country may be because of their poor or may be other reason.

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[nalaknarak]

ฝรั่งดอง is somewhat derogatory term for people who are half Caucasian/Asian who has obvious appearance to be neither fully Asian nor Caucasian.

Some people gets called that based on their appearance despite not being half.

Ooo I've just learned something new today.

[Crystaliz]

ฝรั่งดอง is somewhat derogatory term for people who are half Caucasian/Asian who has obvious appearance to be neither fully Asian nor Caucasian.

Some people gets called that based on their appearance despite not being half.

So called "Thai people" are citrons

[Crystaliz]

ฝรั่งดอง is somewhat derogatory term for people who are half Caucasian/Asian who has obvious appearance to be neither fully Asian nor Caucasian.

Some people gets called that based on their appearance despite not being half.

Ooo I've just learned something new today.

I with my friend call "thai people" citrons because they are citrons.

[Neeranam]

ฝรั่งดอง is somewhat derogatory term for people who are half Caucasian/Asian who has obvious appearance to be neither fully Asian nor Caucasian.

Some people gets called that based on their appearance despite not being half.

Khun Mole

I've never heard this context before but, of course, do not question you.

I have 2 daughters - one is Mattayom 1 but could pass for being M4. I am always aware of what boys are saying in Malls etc. If someone called her "farang dong", would this be an insult?

More commonly, I hear people saying she looks "kaek khao".

I believe "kaek" has become a rather derogatory term over the last 20 years or so, as has "farang" but to a lesser degree. Words defining minorities generally do become offensive. For example 50 years ago the work "Jek" was used to refer to a Chinese person but now it is an insult. Likewise in English, my grandmother used to words to describe minorities that are extremely rascist today.

What's your take on the "farang" and "kaek" words? I've noticed they are often said these days with a lower tone.

[CMBob]

I've also never heard those words in reference to being Caucasian or otherwise; however, I've often heard the phrase "falang ting dtong" or, at times, shortened to "falang dtong" and that simply means foolish falang or crazy (in a goofy sense versus mental illness sense) falang. And my 5 baht bets that's what was meant in this case.

[Mole]

Although "khaek" แขก by itself is usually used in a derogatory context, "khaek khao" แขกขาว is actually a compliment. This is normal term to describe somebody who has "Indian/Arab" looks, but more of the "Aryan Indian/Arab/Turkish" with whiter skin, pronounced nose, rather than just "khaek", which usually just mean the typical darker skinned Indian/Bangladesh/Tamil people.

So, if somebody who describe your daughter that she looks like "khaek khao", this should certainly be taken as a compliment.

You can say that "khaek khao" is used as compliment to describe somebody who has handsome or beautiful "Indian/Arab" appearance, while if one just describe somebody as looking just as "khaek", it would mean somebody who has "ugly" "Indian/Arab" appearance (if you know what I mean).

เจ๊ก "jek" nowadays is a rather archaic term and not really used anymore. I guess it may be because so many people in Thailand has partly Chinese ancestry and so integrated into Thai society that the Thais with Chinese ancestry is synonymous with being Thai, so this group of people aren't really being discriminated anymore.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Mole

[raggedclaws]

I might be wrong but I think I remember this being explained to me years ago. I believe it’s used in a rather pejorative way by Thais, to describe other Thais, who have lived in the west and become so westernized that they have forgotten (or even rejected) their Thai roots and culture.

[connda]

ฝรั่งดอง is somewhat derogatory term for people who are half Caucasian/Asian who has obvious appearance to be neither fully Asian nor Caucasian.

Some people gets called that based on their appearance despite not being half.

I'd almost think that it's derogatory in the sense of a jealous retort, especially considering the emphasis that Thais have with trying to maintain the 'whitest' skin as they can. So if one sees a person with the genetic makeup for light-skin, what better than to call them a pejorative word because, basically, they're jealous.

[Tchooptip]

I've also never heard those words in reference to being Caucasian or otherwise; however, I've often heard the phrase "falang ting dtong" or, at times, shortened to "falang dtong" and that simply means foolish falang or crazy (in a goofy sense versus mental illness sense) falang. And my 5 baht bets that's what was meant in this case.

I have never heard "dtong" as a short form for "ting dtong", never, so why for falang dtong? Really I doubt it

[kolanp]

I want to know about the photos you attached. It looks like an imitation. The guava on your photos are same to this?

Please let me know english name of this guava variety because I want to buy the seeds.

This is really fresh fruit, not imitation?

(I registered on this site to ask this to you.)

May be your next question "Falang chae buay" or Guava marinated in plum sauce .
ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1401124183.680461.jpg
ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect Thailand1401124200.781997.jpg


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[saakura]

Maybe you are so old and withered, you resemble a pickled version of farang man?

[Thaidream]

The correct answer for what Farang Dong means is -a Westerner who looks low class and acts and speaks the same way.  Riff Raff comes closest to the exact meaning.  This term is used today and mostly by people in the entertainment industry such as bar girls and other staff. 

You will not hear it from middle class or Hiso Thais as it is considered rude. They may say it in private directed at a Westerner but not in your presence.

 

The term- Kaek- has 2 meanings- one directed at Middle Easterners/Indians etc and depending on how it is used can be considered rude.  It also has the meaning of guest but seldom used that way anymore.

 

The term Jek- refers to Chinese and is considered derogatory- very rarely heard anymore.

 

The term Ting Tong- means 'crazy'; silly or foolish and is not considered rude or derogatory but used mostly as simply pointing out silly behavior and  usually with a smile.

[tgeezer]

I think that we can over complicate things which people say, much of the time they are only playing with language. Sometimes they are only repeated what they have heard and think they know what it means. 

In many ways it is unfortunate that ‘Francaise’ was said ฝรั้งเศส in Thai, nowadays it might be ฝรั่นเซส์ .  

But there it is we are lumbered by the shortened form which is actually a fruit, so we can say  เอาฝรั่งนะ ฝรั้งจะกินฝรั้ง when we order some from a fruit stall. 

 

[manarak]

2 hours ago, Thaidream said:

The correct answer for what Farang Dong means is -a Westerner who looks low class and acts and speaks the same way.  Riff Raff comes closest to the exact meaning.  This term is used today and mostly by people in the entertainment industry such as bar girls and other staff. 

You will not hear it from middle class or Hiso Thais as it is considered rude. They may say it in private directed at a Westerner but not in your presence.

 

The term- Kaek- has 2 meanings- one directed at Middle Easterners/Indians etc and depending on how it is used can be considered rude.  It also has the meaning of guest but seldom used that way anymore.

 

The term Jek- refers to Chinese and is considered derogatory- very rarely heard anymore.

 

The term Ting Tong- means 'crazy'; silly or foolish and is not considered rude or derogatory but used mostly as simply pointing out silly behavior and  usually with a smile.

 

Kaek also has the meaning of "customer" and is used a lot that way.

 

TingTong can definitely be insulting.

[Thaidream]

Yes- Kaek  is often used to describe a customer- I forgot that meaning.  

 

Ting Tong can be used in a rude manner by adding Thai qualifiers to it.  Also, Farang can be used in a rude manner by doing the same thing.

 

When I first came to Thailand over 4 decades ago- I never heard farang used in a rude manner- only to point out a Westerner. However, there were not many Western tourists in Thailand in the 60s and  there was no real nightlife targeting foreigners as  Nana Plaza, Cowboy did not exist and foreigners were held in high esteem by Thais. Even the American soldiers on rest and recreation leave from Vietnam were always treated well and with the utmost respect.

 

Massive tourism has caused Thais to lose respect for foreigners -especially Westerners- due to increased crime; bad behavior; drunkenness and the constant use of vulgar language. Farangs and the term 'Farang' just aren't what they used to be.

[happy2]

Maybe a mishearing of farang ngong (confused)? 

[Aforek]

On 22/01/2018 at 12:21 PM, manarak said:

 

Kaek also has the meaning of "customer" and is used a lot that way.

 

 

There is a book ( Chan keu Eri ( excuse for phonetic, I am not English ) written by a Thai prostitute; when in Japan, Hong kong etc , she used all the time this word to speak of her customers ( kaek ) 

[digbeth]

ดอง is used to signify relation through marriage

like if you're married to a family, your family members is considered to be ดองกัน

 

เกี่ยวดอง is the long form

 

so ฝรั่งดอง could be a good pun if you're the in law

[tgeezer]

On 22/01/2018 at 12:32 PM, Thaidream said:

Yes- Kaek  is often used to describe a customer- I forgot that meaning.  

 

 

English is just as bad, titles are not always accurate.   I like to think that railway passengers in UK are called customers to relieve the company of the responsibility Implicit in the title of passenger. 

Similarly แขก could be a title conferred on a customer to elevate the seller to host status.  

[jenny2017]

On 1/22/2018 at 11:18 AM, tgeezer said:

I think that we can over complicate things which people say, much of the time they are only playing with language. Sometimes they are only repeated what they have heard and think they know what it means. 

In many ways it is unfortunate that ‘Francaise’ was said ฝรั้งเศส in Thai, nowadays it might be ฝรั่นเซส์ .  

But there it is we are lumbered by the shortened form which is actually a fruit, so we can say  เอาฝรั่งนะ ฝรั้งจะกินฝรั้ง when we order some from a fruit stall. 

 

I think that we can over complicate things which people write.