Is this a specifically Thai thing? While I was studying at The National University of Singapore I sometimes heard myself being referred to as “Ang Moh” (which originally meant “red haired person” but is now the general word for Caucasian) by Chinese people having conversations, but in 4 months no one ever said “Hey, Ang Moh” to my face.
The use of the word Farang is widely discussed and debated by expats in Thailand and causes offence to many of them. I think I know why. When someone (especially someone who already knows your name) addresses you or refers to you in an audible conversation as “Farang,” it depersonalises or even dehumanises you. Most Westerners take this as an insult. By referring to someone in English as “it”, using a word for inanimate objects or animals, you're degrading that person's status and making a negative comment about their value as a human being. “Farang” has a similar effect, because it reduces you from an individual with a name to a thing, a “foreigner.” Are Thai people deliberately being insulting when they do this? I don't think so, at least not completely. For Thai people, this whole notion of depersonalisation doesn't exist on the same scale as in the West.
Stop calling me Farang. I'm a person, OK?
When speaking to adults, all Thai children (and even young women) will refer to themselves (Thai people use the third person a lot more than we do, perhaps with the exception of Alex Turner) as “Noo”, which actually means rat! As another example, “Mun,” a word for “it” used to refer to objects and animals, can also be used for people, without causing any offence. Therefore I think “Farang” is unlikely to be meant to be insulting in the same way that calling someone “Foreigner” would in the West.
The problem is that, intended or not, it does cause offence. In the same way that Thai people don't like you touching their head, Western people don't like to be referred to as a thing. This is whether they've been in Thailand for two weeks or two years. In addition, for Westerners who speak Thai the fact that when Thais address Thais, they use “Pee” for older people and “Nong” for younger people, is grating. They don't say “Khun White Skin” or “Miss Fat Neck.” In conversations they will refer to other people by name, or “khao” (he/she/they). Why do they not do the same for us? Ignorance? A belief that Westerners are actually inferior (Thailand is a strictly hierarchical country after all)? Maybe.
The thing is that we now live in a global community and a society like Thailand that so heavily emphasises respect would perhaps do well to show a bit to non-natives. A Thai visiting the UK would be quite upset if, despite their protestations, the locals touched their head or pointed feet at them, so I hardly think the “when in Rome” counterargument holds much validity here. Thai people might not intend offence when they call someone “Farang”, just as I might not intend offence if I called someone very tall “Giraffe,” but if the recipient of the title is uncomfortable with it, a respectful person, in a respectful society, should at the very least stop using it to their face.
I warned you!
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2 comments:
Hey Nick:
Long time, no comment. I've been buried moving into our new digs off Sathorn Rd. My wife refers to me as farang and I don't take offense because none is meant. I'm having a bit of difficulty referring to everyone as Kuhn this and Kuhn that. But I found that I get the same response whether I remember or not.
Interestingly, my son's wife, who is Cambodian, refers to him as barang (too close to be coincidence) which does mean French in Khmae. Like farang, it is used universally for caucasians.
Where are you now? Missing all the fun on Kao San road these days? If you're still in the hills, it will be interesting to see how the hill tribes celebrate Songkran. If you're local, let me know and I'll treat you to dinner.
The problem is that even though it's not meant to cause offence it's still a dehumanising term that many people are uncomfortable with. Khun is really just an equivalent for "Sir" or "Miss" and is a polite title of respect. I would say this - try consistently referring to a Thai (perhaps not one wielding anything sharp) as "Asian" when talking about them. You don't mean any offence - they are Asian - but I doubt they'll like it.
I'm writing this from nearby Khao San road at the moment, but tomorrow I'm going to Kanchanaburi.
The hill tribes celebration of Songkran was pretty much identical to the Thais, except they gave each other eggs that had been dyed various colours. I've been eating a lot of eggs!!
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