How do you like being called "farang"

[opalred]

didnt your mothers tell you stick and stones will break your bones and names only make you laugh when someone says to me hansam man i dont get offended

[HeijoshinCool]

Thailand is a deeply deeply racist country and that runs through all levels of society.

It always amuses me when Westerners insist that Thailand is a racist country. I happen to be blessed with non-white skin, and I do not share the view that Thailand is a racist country in the least. I have been coming to Thailand for close to 30 years, and I would say that any racism which has creeped into the Thai consciousness is directly attributable to the influence of Western media and how non-whites are portrayed in the news and movies.

One of the primary reasons I moved here was to escape Western racism. I feel incredibly racially and socially comfortable and at-home here. If Thailand is a racist country, I'll take Thai racism over Western racism any day of the week!

Well said. I don't think Thais even know what the word "racist" means because there is no historical context. But that word, spoken in the USA, holds deep meaning because of America's racist past. Real, ugly, evil sort of racism. The Thais have never been, nor can they ever be that racist. So none of this has anything to do with the Thais. But it seems that certain farangs want to bring their baggage to Thailand and apply their nonsensical views on the Thais. Thankfully, the Thais have enough sense to ignore this silliness.

.

Finally, I agree with you!

But then, when I was five, I didn't know what the word gravity meant, but I stuck around.

[rascalman]

known the Thai's a long time now I can say I am tired of it!

[mrtoad]

Well said. I don't think Thais even know what the word "racist" means because there is no historical context. But that word, spoken in the USA, holds deep meaning because of America's racist past. Real, ugly, evil sort of racism. The Thais have never been, nor can they ever be that racist.

What utter nonsense.

<removed>

That has nothing to with racism, the fact that they don't want economic refugees in the country.

[Jackson86]

if ' farangs ' describes white people, how about other foreigners?

[AYJAYDEE]

if ' farangs ' describes white people, how about other foreigners?

depends on their country. except africa :khon dam or farang dam

[mrtoad]

Dang, and you are just so important.

Get back to the subject, nothing to do with refugees is it?

Nothing to do with importance either, I'm just here working.

[CharlieH]

Off topic posts removed.

[MonkeyLoo]

To answer the original question. I dont mind being called farang by strangers. but when they know my name i would say its far more polite to call me by name.

Just common sense

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[SoiBiker]

Some people here seem to desperately want the word to be offensive. Do you crave the experience of being discriminated against for some reason?

It's just a descriptive word. No more than that.

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[Will2011]

The best way to counter it is to fluently speak Thai.

[thailiketoo]

if ' farangs ' describes white people, how about other foreigners?

They have different words for them. Ask a Thai person.

[benj005]

I was in the Bangkok mall the other day and this foreigner was getting hammered by his Thai girlfriend. She was cute but I wouldn't have put up with her bullsh*t. She kept saying...

Her: "You stupid falang. I want to buy a dress for myself. Why why why..."

Him: "Hon. I would love to buy the dress but it's a lot of money."

Her: "Stupid falang. I want it know!" You is stupid."

Him: "OK...".

She kept calling him falang. Is this a bad name for a foreigner?

Edited July 31, 2014 by benj005

[thailiketoo]

I was in the Bangkok mall the other day and this foreigner was getting hammered by his Thai girlfriend. She was cute but I wouldn't have put up with her bullsh*t. She kept saying...

Her: "You stupid falang. I want to buy a dress for myself. Why why why..."

Him: "Hon. I would love to buy the dress but it's a lot of money."

Her: "Stupid falang. I want it know!" You is stupid."

Him: "OK...".

She kept calling him falang. Is this a bad name for a foreigner?

It is like, "little girl." You sweet little girl is nice. You stupid little girl is not nice. Stupid Farang is not nice. My sweet Farang is nice.

[benj005]

I was in the Bangkok mall the other day and this foreigner was getting hammered by his Thai girlfriend. She was cute but I wouldn't have put up with her bullsh*t. She kept saying...

Her: "You stupid falang. I want to buy a dress for myself. Why why why..."

Him: "Hon. I would love to buy the dress but it's a lot of money."

Her: "Stupid falang. I want it know!" You is stupid."

Him: "OK...".

She kept calling him falang. Is this a bad name for a foreigner?

It is like, "little girl." You sweet little girl is nice. You stupid little girl is not nice. Stupid Farang is not nice. My sweet Farang is nice.

It depends on how it is said.

And the context in which it is said.

[thailiketoo]

I was in the Bangkok mall the other day and this foreigner was getting hammered by his Thai girlfriend. She was cute but I wouldn't have put up with her bullsh*t. She kept saying...

Her: "You stupid falang. I want to buy a dress for myself. Why why why..."

Him: "Hon. I would love to buy the dress but it's a lot of money."

Her: "Stupid falang. I want it know!" You is stupid."

Him: "OK...".

She kept calling him falang. Is this a bad name for a foreigner?

It is like, "little girl." You sweet little girl is nice. You stupid little girl is not nice. Stupid Farang is not nice. My sweet Farang is nice.

It depends on how it is said.

And the context in which it is said.

Yes of course because Farang is not a racist word. If it were a racist word there would be no acceptable context except the obvious ones of definition or used by the race in question.

[mrtoad]

I was in the Bangkok mall the other day and this foreigner was getting hammered by his Thai girlfriend. She was cute but I wouldn't have put up with her bullsh*t. She kept saying...

Her: "You stupid falang. I want to buy a dress for myself. Why why why..."

Him: "Hon. I would love to buy the dress but it's a lot of money."

Her: "Stupid falang. I want it know!" You is stupid."

Him: "OK...".

She kept calling him falang. Is this a bad name for a foreigner?

If someone you know is calling you Farang, then they are someone not worth knowing.

Personally, I find the majority of Thai people that I deal with, super polite.

[ATF]

I was in the Bangkok mall the other day and this foreigner was getting hammered by his Thai girlfriend. She was cute but I wouldn't have put up with her bullsh*t. She kept saying...

Her: "You stupid falang. I want to buy a dress for myself. Why why why..."

Him: "Hon. I would love to buy the dress but it's a lot of money."

Her: "Stupid falang. I want it know!" You is stupid."

Him: "OK...".

She kept calling him falang. Is this a bad name for a foreigner?

If someone you know is calling you Farang, then they are someone not worth knowing.

Personally, I find the majority of Thai people that I deal with, super polite.

A Thai person would never refer to you as a Falung in the first person. They may say "Oh I'm sitting with the Falung over there". Third person.

This girl was obviously from the lower echelons of society.

[samuibeachcomber]

Falang,farang is a collective term used by thai's when talking about white caucasians,but of course it can be used in a disparaging way too.

Nothing bothers me in this regard.....ignore,enjoy the day!

[ayayay]

It is not meant to be offensive, but it does more harm than it solves problems. One of the biggest problem is that both Thais and we ourselves, use it in an objectifying way, that is, we first and foremost are "farangs", and only secondly, humans, individuals.

But it is difficult for Thais to understand that we do not enjoy being an "object", the dancing monkey, as many of us foreigners even refers to ourselves as "farang" all the time.

In fact, many foreigners goes to great length to enhance this notion of us as the "other", "the object", "the alien", as they enjoy this position. What most of us fails to see though, is that it also makes it easier for Thais to be nasty to us, lie to us, rip us off, treat us bad, and even kill us, as we are not really human, we are just "farang", the alien.

So me personally, does not at all enjoy being the dancing monkey. I strongly dislike the term, as I understand, it does do more harm than it helps in the end.

Edited July 31, 2014 by ayayay

[ayayay]

Some people here seem to desperately want the word to be offensive. Do you crave the experience of being discriminated against for some reason?

It's just a descriptive word. No more than that.

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It is in fact, JUST THAT.

Using the word "farang" all the time, when they refer to us, MAKES IT ALOT EASIER to discriminate against us. It is a way to de humanizing us.

The term in itself is not meant to harm, BUT IT DOES, for the reason I just explained.

[Fellini]

tl;dr

itt: a bunch of old crackers express their butthurt and complain of perceived 'reverse racism'. Sensitive much?

I wouldn't be offended by it, just as I don't consider 'Cabin in the Sky'-style characterizations of Afro-Americans to be offensive. Shut up, honky.

Edited July 31, 2014 by Fellini

[AYJAYDEE]

Some people here seem to desperately want the word to be offensive. Do you crave the experience of being discriminated against for some reason?

It's just a descriptive word. No more than that.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

It is in fact, JUST THAT.

Using the word "farang" all the time, when they refer to us, MAKES IT ALOT EASIER to discriminate against us. It is a way to de humanizing us.

The term in itself is not meant to harm, BUT IT DOES, for the reason I just explained.

doesnt hurt me.

[samuibeachcomber]

Just my opinion but i think thais consciously or unconciously think they are the "beas knees" you know the best thing since sliced bread,not quite the master race but they tend too look down on all other races whether chinese,japanese,westerners,arabs,indians etc.but to their credit they are happy to let us all come here providing we use the correct visas and do not abuse the system or their hospitality.Of course it is worse for them in the tourist areas where we tend to overwhelm them with our presence.

Is n't it just like back home when too many immigrants appear and congrugate on mass in certain locations..........it unsettles the locals who want them to intergrate and learn to become like them.

One day we might find the thai authorities demand that we all learn thai language as part of our obligations if we want to live here.

[RealisticRon]

It is exceptionally overused.

[AYJAYDEE]

Just my opinion but i think thais consciously or unconciously think they are the "beas knees" you know the best thing since sliced bread,not quite the master race but they tend too look down on all other races whether chinese,japanese,westerners,arabs,indians etc.but to their credit they are happy to let us all come here providing we use the correct visas and do not abuse the system or their hospitality.Of course it is worse for them in the tourist areas where we tend to overwhelm them with our presence.

Is n't it just like back home when too many immigrants appear and congrugate on mass in certain locations..........it unsettles the locals who want them to intergrate and learn to become like them.

One day we might find the thai authorities demand that we all learn thai language as part of our obligations if we want to live here.

you dont know thais very well

[samuibeachcomber]

Just my opinion but i think thais consciously or unconciously think they are the "beas knees" you know the best thing since sliced bread,not quite the master race but they tend too look down on all other races whether chinese,japanese,westerners,arabs,indians etc.but to their credit they are happy to let us all come here providing we use the correct visas and do not abuse the system or their hospitality.Of course it is worse for them in the tourist areas where we tend to overwhelm them with our presence.

Is n't it just like back home when too many immigrants appear and congrugate on mass in certain locations..........it unsettles the locals who want them to intergrate and learn to become like them.

One day we might find the thai authorities demand that we all learn thai language as part of our obligations if we want to live here.

you dont know thais very well

obviously not.So sorry for trying to be reasonable.

[David48]

tl;dr

itt: a bunch of old crackers express their butthurt and complain of perceived 'reverse racism'. Sensitive much?

I wouldn't be offended by it, just as I don't consider 'Cabin in the Sky'-style characterizations of Afro-Americans to be offensive.

Shut up, honky.

Welcome back Fellini ... you haven't been missed.

...

.

[Fellini]

Welcome back Fellini ... you haven't been missed.

...

.

Wait a minute... do you think I'm some other troll who you recognize from before?

I swear that I'm totally new to this place. I've come straight from 4chan.

Edited July 31, 2014 by Fellini

[mrtoad]

Fellini seems like he has a shoulder on his chip.

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