time to stop self describing as a flaung.... spelled the way they pronounce it

[Naam]

because it is used in the Thai media to devalue the life of westerners, so when a Thai truck driver runs over and kills two British people riding bicycles around the world,

He is only fined $300 baht, because it was only a falang

this stuff you ingest... is it legal?

[SoiBiker]

because it is used in the Thai media to devalue the life of westerners, so when a Thai truck driver runs over and kills two British people riding bicycles around the world,

He is only fined $300 baht, because it was only a falang

What 'Thai media' are you basing this on?

[Gecko123]

because it is used in the Thai media to devalue the life of westerners, so when a Thai truck driver runs over and kills two British people riding bicycles around the world,

He is only fined $300 baht, because it was only a falang

Show me an example of the word "farang" being used in the Thai press in this manner.

In most instances I can recall both newspapers and TV news use the term "kohn tang chaat" when referring to foreigners.

I happen to have been reading Thai newspapers and watching Thai news with particular attention to the crime and accident reporting for the past couple of months on a pretty regular basis and cannot recall a single instance of the term "farang" being used.

Here are some on-line examples I was able to find of the word "farang" being used in the Thai language press:

From the financial press: "Farangs still selling Thai stock." Clearly "farang" is being used as neutral short hand for "foreigners," (as in overseas/outside of Thailand, not a racial group)

"Farang Denmark found dead, apparent suicide." The word farang appears to have been used in the article header mainly to save space. Throughout the rest of the article the term "kohn tang chaat" is repeatedly used to describe the deceased.

An article talking about a non-Thai speaking female tourist who sat on bus seats reserved for monks and refused to relinquish her seat to the monk when asked to. Again, the article headline uses the term "farang" apparently to conserve headline space, but throughout the article, the term "kohn tang chaat" is used. This is a really good example of how if the press were using the word "farang" to disparage/dehumanize foreigners they could have done this by going on and on about the "farang" tourist throughout the article.

Foreign movies are commonly described as "farang" movies. Again, neutral use of the word.

Actually, there weren't that many on-line examples of "farang" being used to describe foreigners. There seemed to be more examples of "farang" being used in reference to the fruit.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Gecko123

[Berkshire]

because it is used in the Thai media to devalue the life of westerners, so when a Thai truck driver runs over and kills two British people riding bicycles around the world,

He is only fined $300 baht, because it was only a falang

this stuff you ingest... is it legal?

Maybe he's on this new synthetic drug flakka. It's making the rounds in Florida and makes users delusional and paranoid. Pretty much fits Mr. Scarpo.

http://nypost.com/2015/04/30/new-drug-flakka-has-floridians-having-sex-with-trees-believing-theyre-thor/

[rijit]

because it is used in the Thai media to devalue the life of westerners, so when a Thai truck driver runs over and kills two British people riding bicycles around the world,

He is only fined $300 baht, because it was only a falang

Show me an example of the word "farang" being used in the Thai press in this manner.

In most instances I can recall both newspapers and TV news use the term "kohn tang chaat" when referring to foreigners.

I happen to have been reading Thai newspapers and watching Thai news with particular attention to the crime and accident reporting for the past couple of months on a pretty regular basis and cannot recall a single instance of the term "farang" being used.

Here are some on-line examples I was able to find of the word "farang" being used in the Thai language press:

From the financial press: "Farangs still selling Thai stock." Clearly "farang" is being used as neutral short hand for "foreigners," (as in overseas/outside of Thailand, not a racial group)

"Farang Denmark found dead, apparent suicide." The word farang appears to have been used in the article header mainly to save space. Throughout the rest of the article the term "kohn tang chaat" is repeatedly used to describe the deceased.

An article talking about a non-Thai speaking female tourist who sat on bus seats reserved for monks and refused to relinquish her seat to the monk when asked to. Again, the article headline uses the term "farang" apparently to conserve headline space, but throughout the article, the term "kohn tang chaat" is used. This is a really good example of how if the press were using the word "farang" to disparage/dehumanize foreigners they could have done this by going on and on about the "farang" tourist throughout the article.

Foreign movies are commonly described as "farang" movies. Again, neutral use of the word.

Actually, there weren't that many on-line examples of "farang" being used to describe foreigners. There seemed to be more examples of "farang" being used in reference to the fruit.

Doesnt matter, its still a term used to catorgorise people by the color of their skin and thats basically wrong.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Jingthing]

The topic here is actually about self description.

It isn't about the question of derogatory or not.

So if it's not derogatory, what's the problem with people using it to describe themselves?

Exactly. So if a Thai, a farang, or a Na'vi from the fictional planet Pandora says it, WHO CARES??? It's just a word.

Imagine if I had lived in Mexico for years and years, gotten used to the word Gringo, come back to the states and call myself Gringo from time to time, WHO CARES???

FYI -- In Mexico, gringo is unambiguously a derogatory term. The Mexicans know that and so do the ones called that word. Those called that word do not use that word in the way fluangs in Thailand do. It's different in Ecuador where gringo is more of a neutral word.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Jingthing

[Berkshire]

The topic here is actually about self description.

It isn't about the question of derogatory or not.

So if it's not derogatory, what's the problem with people using it to describe themselves?

Exactly. So if a Thai, a farang, or a Na'vi from the fictional planet Pandora says it, WHO CARES??? It's just a word.

Imagine if I had lived in Mexico for years and years, gotten used to the word Gringo, come back to the states and call myself Gringo from time to time, WHO CARES???

FYI -- In Mexico, gringo is unambiguously a derogatory term. The Mexicans know that and so do the ones called that word. Those called that word do not use that word in the way fluangs in Thailand do. It's different in Ecuador where gringo is more of a neutral word.

Sure about that? I'm no expert on Latin America, but I've been around Mexicans and it doesn't seem like it's an "unambiguously derogatory term." Why would it be different in Mexico and Ecuador? How about other Latin American countries?

[Berkshire]

Doesnt matter, its still a term used to catorgorise people by the color of their skin and thats basically wrong.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

The American media uses terms to "categorize people by the color of their skin" all the time. Whether it's white, black, Hispanic, Asian....it's commonly done. For example, and quite recently, when a white cop kills a black person, the media will make it a point to identify people by the color of their skin. Is that wrong?

[SoiBiker]

because it is used in the Thai media to devalue the life of westerners, so when a Thai truck driver runs over and kills two British people riding bicycles around the world,

He is only fined $300 baht, because it was only a falang

Show me an example of the word "farang" being used in the Thai press in this manner.

In most instances I can recall both newspapers and TV news use the term "kohn tang chaat" when referring to foreigners.

I happen to have been reading Thai newspapers and watching Thai news with particular attention to the crime and accident reporting for the past couple of months on a pretty regular basis and cannot recall a single instance of the term "farang" being used.

Here are some on-line examples I was able to find of the word "farang" being used in the Thai language press:

From the financial press: "Farangs still selling Thai stock." Clearly "farang" is being used as neutral short hand for "foreigners," (as in overseas/outside of Thailand, not a racial group)

"Farang Denmark found dead, apparent suicide." The word farang appears to have been used in the article header mainly to save space. Throughout the rest of the article the term "kohn tang chaat" is repeatedly used to describe the deceased.

An article talking about a non-Thai speaking female tourist who sat on bus seats reserved for monks and refused to relinquish her seat to the monk when asked to. Again, the article headline uses the term "farang" apparently to conserve headline space, but throughout the article, the term "kohn tang chaat" is used. This is a really good example of how if the press were using the word "farang" to disparage/dehumanize foreigners they could have done this by going on and on about the "farang" tourist throughout the article.

Foreign movies are commonly described as "farang" movies. Again, neutral use of the word.

Actually, there weren't that many on-line examples of "farang" being used to describe foreigners. There seemed to be more examples of "farang" being used in reference to the fruit.

Doesnt matter, its still a term used to catorgorise people by the color of their skin and thats basically wrong.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

By that logic, 'white' is a racist term.

It clearly isn't though - because the idea is nonsense. It's not racist to merely describe someone by their skin colour.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism

[Jingthing]

Sure about that? I'm no expert on Latin America, but I've been around Mexicans and it doesn't seem like it's an "unambiguously derogatory term." Why would it be different in Mexico and Ecuador? How about other Latin American countries?

Ecuador and Mexico are different countries with different histories and cultures. Racial classification systems are culturally specific.

[Oceanbat]

because it is used in the Thai media to devalue the life of westerners, so when a Thai truck driver runs over and kills two British people riding bicycles around the world,

He is only fined $300 baht, because it was only a falang

Show me an example of the word "farang" being used in the Thai press in this manner.

In most instances I can recall both newspapers and TV news use the term "kohn tang chaat" when referring to foreigners.

I happen to have been reading Thai newspapers and watching Thai news with particular attention to the crime and accident reporting for the past couple of months on a pretty regular basis and cannot recall a single instance of the term "farang" being used.

Here are some on-line examples I was able to find of the word "farang" being used in the Thai language press:

From the financial press: "Farangs still selling Thai stock." Clearly "farang" is being used as neutral short hand for "foreigners," (as in overseas/outside of Thailand, not a racial group)

"Farang Denmark found dead, apparent suicide." The word farang appears to have been used in the article header mainly to save space. Throughout the rest of the article the term "kohn tang chaat" is repeatedly used to describe the deceased.

An article talking about a non-Thai speaking female tourist who sat on bus seats reserved for monks and refused to relinquish her seat to the monk when asked to. Again, the article headline uses the term "farang" apparently to conserve headline space, but throughout the article, the term "kohn tang chaat" is used. This is a really good example of how if the press were using the word "farang" to disparage/dehumanize foreigners they could have done this by going on and on about the "farang" tourist throughout the article.

Foreign movies are commonly described as "farang" movies. Again, neutral use of the word.

Actually, there weren't that many on-line examples of "farang" being used to describe foreigners. There seemed to be more examples of "farang" being used in reference to the fruit.

Doesnt matter, its still a term used to catorgorise people by the color of their skin and thats basically wrong.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

By that logic, 'white' is a racist term.

It clearly isn't though - because the idea is nonsense. It's not racist to merely describe someone by their skin colour.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism

You guys are arguing definitions when in my view context is the issue. Black also isn't racist but if you kept referring to some who was black as "the black" in their presence I doubt it would be appreciated.

OB

[SoiBiker]

Indeed. 'Farang' is not an offensive word - but some people can be quite offensive in the way that they talk about farangs.

I don't see why that means the rest of us should stop using it, though.

[Oceanbat]

Indeed. 'Farang' is not an offensive word - but some people can be quite offensive in the way that they talk about farangs.

I don't see why that means the rest of us should stop using it, though.

Agree. In that context I don't understand the issue tbh.

OB

[rijit]

because it is used in the Thai media to devalue the life of westerners, so when a Thai truck driver runs over and kills two British people riding bicycles around the world,

He is only fined $300 baht, because it was only a falang

Show me an example of the word "farang" being used in the Thai press in this manner.

In most instances I can recall both newspapers and TV news use the term "kohn tang chaat" when referring to foreigners.

I happen to have been reading Thai newspapers and watching Thai news with particular attention to the crime and accident reporting for the past couple of months on a pretty regular basis and cannot recall a single instance of the term "farang" being used.

Here are some on-line examples I was able to find of the word "farang" being used in the Thai language press:

From the financial press: "Farangs still selling Thai stock." Clearly "farang" is being used as neutral short hand for "foreigners," (as in overseas/outside of Thailand, not a racial group)

"Farang Denmark found dead, apparent suicide." The word farang appears to have been used in the article header mainly to save space. Throughout the rest of the article the term "kohn tang chaat" is repeatedly used to describe the deceased.

An article talking about a non-Thai speaking female tourist who sat on bus seats reserved for monks and refused to relinquish her seat to the monk when asked to. Again, the article headline uses the term "farang" apparently to conserve headline space, but throughout the article, the term "kohn tang chaat" is used. This is a really good example of how if the press were using the word "farang" to disparage/dehumanize foreigners they could have done this by going on and on about the "farang" tourist throughout the article.

Foreign movies are commonly described as "farang" movies. Again, neutral use of the word.

Actually, there weren't that many on-line examples of "farang" being used to describe foreigners. There seemed to be more examples of "farang" being used in reference to the fruit.

Doesnt matter, its still a term used to catorgorise people by the color of their skin and thats basically wrong.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

By that logic, 'white' is a racist term.

It clearly isn't though - because the idea is nonsense. It's not racist to merely describe someone by their skin colour.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racism

As i've said b4 if it offends than it derogatary if it catorgorises by color its wrong. If you and your redneck mates want to carry on calling your selves farangs up to you.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ScarpoFongness4U]

Ahh, no wonder they object,

To them fa-lawn is an upgrade

[Gecko123]

Ahh, no wonder they object,

To them fa-lawn is an upgrade

Pa-lease. It is you and your ilk who is objecting.

I'm slow, but not stupid. It's true what Naam and Berkshire said. You must be high.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Gecko123

[Naam]

Ahh, no wonder they object,

To them fa-lawn is an upgrade

and a thought my "ThaiVisa Farang Spelling Collection" can't be increased

"fa-lawn" added as #26

Edited May 1, 2015 by Naam