I just read another journal with a description of a Farang as a 'foreigner'.

It is more than that. For anyone interested, the title goes back a long way...

I started writing a long explanation, then deleted it when I found Stickman's article and I will simply give the link below: -

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Reader2006/reader2418.htm

However, the following version seems to me to have the most credibility because of the similarity of words in other Asian cultures such as the Khmer.

"Between the eleventh to the fifteenth century, the Crusaders were usually called Franks. More broadly the term applied to any persons originating in Catholic Western Europe (medieval Middle Eastern history). The term led to derived usage by other cultures, such as Farangi, firang, farang and barang. 'The term Frank was used by all the populations of the eastern Mediterranean to designate the totality of the Crusaders as well as the settlers.'"

Riley-Smith, Jonathan Atlas des Croisades, Paris: Autrememt, 1996.

Wikipedia also has a resonable article: -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farang

Guess I still don't like the word, and occasionally I hear it used by a Thai in an insolent, racist manner. I usually deal with it by adopting a fake astonished look on my face and pointing and calling out, "Khon Thai!"

I don't know, man. I really think the word is very neutral. There are bad farangs and good farangs.

It is quite often used in a manner that we would consider to be racist back in farangland...but there is a big difference between racism and ignorance. Thais aren't exposed to foreigners like we are exposed to foreigners back in farangland. We have asian CEO's and asian street cleaners...and it's nothing new. Over here, we are still a pretty new thing, and a VERY new thing for many people.

Yes, some of it is racist, but that exists everywhere. It all comes back to "us" being a relatively new part of the Thai world.

And to be honest (this doesn't apply to you because I know you), but when I first meet and hear farangs say that they think the word farang has a negative connotation to it, I immediately think "What do they do that pisses off Thais so much on a regular basis?"

Farang can be great. Farang can be horrible...Most of us are somewhere in between. In my opinion it's all up to who the farang really is.

We dont need to be called Farang. You can insist on the official more appropriate "kon dtang chaart"!

Guess I still don't like the word, and often I hear it used by a Thai in an insolent, racist manner.

>>> You feel that way? really? So I should stop call my friends Peun FARANG? (Farang friends, Foreigner Friends)

Why I feel they are my friends...no "Racist Feeling"

A Farang ?

A guava !!!!!!

A farang dong ? = a preserved guava

A farang cha buay ? = guava in plum sause

A farang kee nok ? ..... you might find some on TF

farang is the least favorite word i know in Thai.

I absolutely abhor being called that.

jeez...it's completely neutral guys...seriously.

Surprises me that you two of all farang dudes would take offense to the word...though I don't know how much Thai you guys understand/speak...it's more about the fact that both of you are very open-minded guys who have traveled a lot and lived here for an extended period of time.

I had to start a forum thread about this.

i thought the word farang or the original spelling was brought into the thai language by the persians who 500 years ago had a great influence on thai culture not to mention world culture

i am farang, but you can call me fontok ;-)

I edited the word 'often' to 'occasionally'. It's when it's accompanied by a sneer, or a lot of laughing from Thai guys sitting around drinking when their wives are out working in the markets etc, that I find it annoying.

bCool, it's fine. Next time I am out with you, I will say, "Asian, mate, can ya get me another beer?"

yes that is what Farang came from... :)

To have to include a descriptive adjective to clarify who your friends are is in a sense racist. Why aren't they just your friends? Without the falang designation. Do you have different class of friends, and you want to make that point clear?

I find it very derogatory that you wouldn't use your "friends" actual names when talking about them. That's what perpetuates racism, when people aren't aware, or don't care, that what they say is derogatory/racist to the person of that persuation/ethnicity. Most Thais, from my experience, could care less if "farang" is taken as derogatory/racist by the foriegner.

A farang kee nok ? ..... you might find some on TF : I like this ,They are many on TF

koolbreez????????

I love durian