Thailand's 'F' word: Offensive or harmless?

[Farang99]

To sums it all up whether it is offensive or not would be to conclude that it all to do with the context in

which the word is spoken, with disdain or just a way to refer to a foreigner....

Some years ago there was a report that a Phuket governor or vice-governor used the term "มัน" (mun = it) in the context of farang, which is obviously derogatory, but in general it is pretty neutral. And in Malaysia the standard Malay term for westerners is orang puteh (white people).

[English 1]

I have loathed this word for the 12 years I have been here both in Issan and Bangkok.

To me regardless of those who say it just means White I say it's better to be known as Western.

It sounds derogatory because it is!

As your article pointed out the story of the restaurant waiter who asks the Thai 'What does the Farang want?'

Instead of saying 'What does your friend want?

Yes, it is Rude!!

As for Western people here referring to themselves as that F word I think they are stupid and deluded.

Back to

the Waiter story....would a Thai in the UK for example like to be referred to as......

'What does the Foreigner want?

It simply would not happen because it's RUDE!

Edited April 11, 2016 by English 1

[Robert24]

If you feel offended by such terms, better leave Asia....why even write an article.....

[realenglish1]

Who cares Farang or not I don't care about the word Means nothing to me Its their language .

As long as I can call them slant eyes when I am in USA and come across a Thai then they can call me Farang

[cumgranosalum]

the debate about this word is a classic example of racists trying to stir up debate about trivial issues in order to trivialise racism.

[cumgranosalum]

Who cares Farang or not I don't care about the word Means nothing to me Its their language .

As long as I can call them slant eyes when I am in USA and come across a Thai then they can call me Farang

....you really want to refer to people in that way?

[ScotBkk]

I've often wondered how the Thais living in my home country would react to being constantly referred to as "the Asian".

I would like to call them Asian too as deep down and no matter what I'm nigh on sure a few of them are taking the P1ss out us !!!

Just saying.....

[loong]

I have lived in this village for 9 years. Most of the children I have known from birth and get smiles from them. Most of them know my name. Many refer to me as Dta Kit. (They can't say Keith)

Then, almost inevitably, there comes a day when the children see you and with a mischievous expression on their faces say the single word "Farang", sometimes following me and repeating "Farang" over and over. They obviously know that they are being naughty. There must be a reason for them to suddenly start doing this. Any ideas why?

All farangs are talked about behind their back.

It's normal as you are an unusual commodity.

I would guess your kids are hearing a friend or neighbour talking about you.

Everyone does it in a village< and it's not necessarily negative. Just idle chat.

I wasn't talking about my kids, I was referring to the children in the village.

It is obvious that the children are using it in an insulting/cheeky manner. They wouldn't follow a Thai adult wearing glasses and repeat "four-eyes" over and over. But they are obviously taught that it is ok to be cheeky to me because I am just a farang..

[biplanebluey]

What is evenmore "........." is the fact that foreigners refer to themselves as...farang....

It must be a forumthing because all my years coming/living in Thailand I have never heard it. Thank god !

Never heard of "farang"------ or" Falang" as they say----------- and you say"all my years" in Thailand------ I CANNOT THINK WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN HIDING--------- IN ALL THESE YEARS------

[wvavin]

Without these names and callings, this world would be absolutely boring!

[SoiBiker]

Sometimes a word can be used in an offensive way - but that doesn't mean the word itself is automatically offensive.

Some people aren't bright enough to understand this.

[SoiBiker]

What is evenmore "........." is the fact that foreigners refer to themselves as...farang....

It must be a forumthing because all my years coming/living in Thailand I have never heard it. Thank god !

Never heard of "farang"------ or" Falang" as they say----------- and you say"all my years" in Thailand------ I CANNOT THINK WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN HIDING--------- IN ALL THESE YEARS------

Put the emoticons away. He's saying he's never heard a farang use the word to describe themselves.

I do it all the time, as do most people I know.

[Araiwa]

I am not offended if Thai people call me 'farang' at all. People always tend to categorize other people outside their own cultural or national identity. When I read the article I thought just the same. The author is categorizing also. He tries to find an explanation why Thai people are calling foreigners 'farang' and if it is justified, rude or not rude, racist or not racist, and so on. And the interesting thing is he tries to compare it with our own Western cultural values. This does not work. Just talk to Thais and let them explain what they think when they use the word 'farang' while addressing foreigners or talking/writing about them. In most cases it is not meant to be rude at all. Of course it also can be used in an offensive and harsh manner as well. It just depends on the situation. I can use every word this or the other way. I used to live and work in Vietnam for altogether 10 years. My Vietnamese friends still call me 'ong tay' until today. Which in this case is not at all a derogatory term.

[Jay1]

Depends on the context it is used in.

If I'm the only white person in a shop and no one knows me then being referred to as farang by the staff or whoever is fine.

On the other hand, i was once with my then girlfriend visiting her family and all weekend they referred to me as 'farang' even though they knew my name.

I knew then that they could kiss goodbye to any future dowry.

[pmarlowe]

Its a matter of usage... Farang, Brit, Yank... can be used either with affection or disdain. I hope mostly with affection. Where as Japs, Nips, Chinks, Slopes, Gooks, N....gers, etc only have one purpose -- racist disdain.

[cumgranosalum]

this topic will run and run, but the only thing we will learn (or confirm) is how ignorant and racist so many ThaiVisa members are.

[Partenavia]

I have no problem with being called farang, BUT I do have one when referred to as an Alien by immigration.

[dieseldave1951]

to generalise half the world is wrong by one country who thinks its self to be the center of the galaxy

[ScotBkk]

this topic will run and run, but the only thing we will learn (or confirm) is how ignorant and racist so many ThaiVisa members are.

I'll second that - Great innit hahaha

Nice to get our own back don't happen to often on tv lol

Edited April 11, 2016 by ScotBkk

[cumgranosalum]

if you think that racism is tit-for-tat then you are racist

If your argument this word is racist because you can't use the "n" word or "s" word then it's not fair...you are racist

If you think "coloured people are racist too"...then you are racist.

If you think "Thais are racist" - then you are racist too...

[villagefarang]

I think the guy storming out of the restaurant was being rude. This is just another case of “Why don’t they do it my way?”. People move to a foreign country and then expect the locals to follow the rules of etiquette derived in and coming from a place they have never even been to. We are the uninvited guests, so why do they have to adapt to our cultural norms?

[SoiBiker]

I have no problem with being called farang, BUT I do have one when referred to as an Alien by immigration.

Why? It's perfectly normal word to use in that context.

You know it doesn't just mean someone from space, right?

[balo]

I have lived in this village for 9 years. Most of the children I have known from birth and get smiles from them. Most of them know my name. Many refer to me as Dta Kit. (They can't say Keith)

Then, almost inevitably, there comes a day when the children see you and with a mischievous expression on their faces say the single word "Farang", sometimes following me and repeating "Farang" over and over. They obviously know that they are being naughty. There must be a reason for them to suddenly start doing this. Any ideas why?

All farangs are talked about behind their back.

It's normal as you are an unusual commodity.

I would guess your kids are hearing a friend or neighbour talking about you.

Everyone does it in a village< and it's not necessarily negative. Just idle chat.

I wasn't talking about my kids, I was referring to the children in the village.

It is obvious that the children are using it in an insulting/cheeky manner. They wouldn't follow a Thai adult wearing glasses and repeat "four-eyes" over and over. But they are obviously taught that it is ok to be cheeky to me because I am just a farang..

I experienced this once myself, I was living for a short time in a village and the neighbor kids pointed at me from close distance shouting "Farang Farang". My Thai is limited so I could not ask them why they shout the F word at me. But maybe it was some sort of game , anyway they all smiles and I smile back , not sure why they did it , maybe the parents asked them to do it to check if I was still alive.

Edited April 11, 2016 by balo

[Dublin]

This old chestnut raising its head again...get over it already "Farangs" if this is all you have to worry about what a great life you have, go and enjoy it..

[Shawn0001]

IT IS RACISM ...pure and simple ...Cracker or dare i even type Nigg**. Pak*, chin* whats the difference (as these are actually shortened country names)

thailand is a very racist country ask them what they think of Cambodians or Burmese to start with

It is not that simple, Farang is not a derogatory term, it just means Caucasian, it can be offensive to refer to someones race inappropriately but it is no way akin to the terms you have linked it to. But Thailand does have a lot of racists, that is a fact, but then where doesn't?

[socksy01]

Try calling a local, a 'Wok head' or 'Water Buffalo' and I'm sure the response would be one of it's offensive. Top Gear got in trouble last year when it was mentioned that a bridge in Myanmar was on a 'slope'. In the Vietnam conflict the terms 'Gook's' and 'Charlie's' was used. I hate being referred to as Ferrang especially when my daughter, who looks about 85% European and 15% Thai is also referred to in the same manner.

[Nielsk]

IT IS RACISM ...pure and simple ...Cracker or dare i even type Nigg**. Pak*, chin* whats the difference (as these are actually shortened country names)

thailand is a very racist country ask them what they think of Cambodians or Burmese to start with

I disagree with You. Farang used by Thaipeople is absolutely harmless. Maybe some Thais don't like Cambodians and Burmese very much, but not because of racism. They are in matter of facts overall the same race, but not the same standard of living.

[DrDave]

I've often wondered how the Thais living in my home country would react to being constantly referred to as "the Asian".

Actually that would be less offensive than ch@nk, j@p, n@gger, etc. Funny how sensitive f@ranags get the shoe falls on the other side.

Do you seriously think in this day and age, those offensive terms are used in public? For example, in a home-country restaurant with a table of both Chinese and Caucasians, a waiter stating "oh, ch@nks don't like somtum". Or in a small shop, the owner telling an employee "Go see what the n@gger wants" when a customer walks into the shop. Now, substitute those offensive terms with "farang" and you'll have common practice in Thailand. Not a day goes by that I don't hear myself being referred to as "the farang", even when someone may know my name.

Does it bother me? NO - because in the vast majority of cases, it's due to ignorance and used without any intended malice.

I think that what this thread is really about is the tendency for many Thais to specifically differentiate between Thais and non-Thais in their daily dealings. The word "farang", is just a proxy for "person that is not one of us", and is indicative of a more closed culture and society. Western cultures and societies tend to be more open, and typically do not employ such broad differentiations in daily life, so that some people from the West can be somewhat taken aback when repeatedly encountering this open differentiation.

[puukao]

It makes my blood boil!!!! I will boycott all businesses who use such racism!!!! It sounds soo bad, they laugh at me!!!!!

especially since I am from the planet Faroung and my name is Falango...

i am a sensitive snowflake

[craigt3365]

Its a matter of usage... Farang, Brit, Yank... can be used either with affection or disdain. I hope mostly with affection. Where as Japs, Nips, Chinks, Slopes, Gooks, N....gers, etc only have one purpose -- racist disdain.

I've rarely heard the term Yank used with affection. I don't think people from the US like that term...at all...