Thread: Is there a racist word for 'thai' that thais understand?

Anyway a dumb thread as stated. Calling an isaanite lao would be like calling someone who wasn't a pikey.

Perhaps the OP wants to explain to a thai they know what it feels like to be referred to as a farang.
By being able to provide a word in the thai language which is not polite or is deemed derogatory it may be making the point he wishes to make.

I tried to explain to my wife's cousin why i didn't answer to the name farang and he didn't get it.
Told him he would surely rather be known by his name, or at least something that pertains to him than some ignorant, generic name.
He said he wouldn't care.

Originally Posted by Norton

Really. Well I'll be damned. Todd, come on up to Isaan and call one of the locals a lao. Will make a great pic thread.

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Conversely, you wanna rile up a Laotian you tell them the Isaan-ites in thailand speak the Lao language.. That gets their dander up in a hurry!

I find this quite interesting and you are both right, to a degree, and in isolation. That is telling a Thai or Laotian in the company of their own.

However, the old couple in the house opposite us have a history...they swam the Mekong to get out of Laos during the 'war' and settled because they 'walked the walk and talked the talk'...Plenty of similar people around our way so I guess it depends on where you are in Isaan and which dialect they speak.... The Vietnam dominated villages are pretty much off limits to me and the family,...way too dangerous if you don't know them....but then again most villages are if you don't know anyone. Headman often announces: "Stranger in the village!"

As Johnny foreigner, I get to speak Laos and French in Laos and Laos and Thai in Isaan...only broken so that no offence is ever taken as long as we can understand each other....

Had a great time in SE Paris last year when I came across a small Thai/Laos restaurant with Laos Husband, Thai Wife and French Daughter. Mrs Troy was thrilled to bits with all being able to converse in her local language...and the daughter translated the bits I missed into Franglais...

Apologies, strayed a bit from the OP...but was the thread going anywhere....?

Originally Posted by Neep

I tried to explain to my wife's cousin why i didn't answer to the name farang.

Is that what your Thai family refer to you as?

Fooooooooooook.

The family calls me kee nok, the neighbours kee mao.

Jesus, you lot fall for this one every time. Next up, is "farang" a bad word and will Anal Anh from Eden make a good wife back in Des Moines?

Originally Posted by stroller

The family calls me kee nok, the neighbours kee mao.

Lung Farang Kee Mao

In 17 years of learning Thai (lazioy I might add, I haven't actually picked up a book ar listened to a tape for about 13 years) I have never ever bothered to learn how to insult and I think it has stood me in good stead.

What is the point, you know how it's gonna end up.

Originally Posted by Steam

Originally Posted by Neep

I tried to explain to my wife's cousin why i didn't answer to the name farang.

Is that what your Thai family refer to you as?

Fooooooooooook.

When i first met the extended family they didn't seem to know what else to call me. It wasn't meant as an insult and they couldn't understand why it would bother me as they didn't see the harm in it.
"But you are farang". Well no, no I'm not mate. I told him i would rather he call me fat or big nose or something like that. He got the point and i could tell there was no malice in it.
Good few years ago now. They know my name but its usually "pee" they use.

Originally Posted by Neep

Originally Posted by Steam

Originally Posted by Neep

I tried to explain to my wife's cousin why i didn't answer to the name farang.

Is that what your Thai family refer to you as?

Fooooooooooook.

When i first met the extended family they didn't seem to know what else to call me. It wasn't meant as an insult and they couldn't understand why it would bother me as they didn't see the harm in it.
"But you are farang". Well no, no I'm not mate. I told him i would rather he call me fat or big nose or something like that. He got the point and i could tell there was no malice in it.
Good few years ago now. They know my name but its usually "pee" they use.

You surely are a FARANG....

Doesn't pee mean ghost or monster?

Originally Posted by Kurgen

try naa hee

Lol... it means 'pussy face'... pretty rough thing to say - expect a fight to ensue after saying that one...

I speak Thai fluently, tying to rack my brain to think of a derogatory word for Thais without swearing like above..

I think you mean you want a racist term to call Thais, such as Thais call us Farang? right?

hmmm that's a tough one... they have invented derogatory words for practically every race (kaak Indian, Jeen/Jek Chinese, Farang us/ Lao, etc) but seemed to have conveniently forgotten to make up anything like that for themselves.. lol

(can't blame them really)...

Originally Posted by NZdick1983

Originally Posted by Kurgen

try naa hee

Lol... it means 'pussy face'... pretty rough thing to say - expect a fight to ensue after saying that one...

I speak Thai fluently, tying to rack my brain to think of a derogatory word for Thais without swearing like above..

I think you mean you want a racist term to call Thais, such as Thais call us Farang? right?

hmmm that's a tough one... they have invented derogatory words for practically every race (kaak Indian, Jeen/Jek Chinese, Farang us/ Lao, etc) but seemed to have conveniently forgotten to make up anything like that for themselves.. lol

(can't blame them really)...

Referring to Farang as Farang is not a racist term.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Referring to Farang as Farang is not a racist term.

No, it's not.. I could've worded it better... I meant slightly less appealing that say "khun Thai" which sounds super duper... compared to Farang... or Kaak... Jeen, etc..

Ever noticed how they use the pre-fix Khun - before Thai... but hardly ever hear them say "khun Farang" or "Khun Kaak"...

Not stating a race war... I don't mind 'n all.. just making an observation...

I'm called Khun Bob 20+ times a day

Khun Bob, you must look regal bro! haha... I was called Khun Richard.. (mainly in a patronizing way).. but that's probably down to me being a dick...

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Originally Posted by NZdick1983

Originally Posted by Kurgen

try naa hee

Lol... it means 'pussy face'... pretty rough thing to say - expect a fight to ensue after saying that one...

I speak Thai fluently, tying to rack my brain to think of a derogatory word for Thais without swearing like above..

I think you mean you want a racist term to call Thais, such as Thais call us Farang? right?

hmmm that's a tough one... they have invented derogatory words for practically every race (kaak Indian, Jeen/Jek Chinese, Farang us/ Lao, etc) but seemed to have conveniently forgotten to make up anything like that for themselves.. lol

(can't blame them really)...

Referring to Farang as Farang is not a racist term.

No. But its application can definitely be derogatory.

Originally Posted by Bobcock

I'm called Khun Bob 20+ times a day

Ditto. Well, except it's Khun Ant not Bob obvs.

And most Thais seem to initially find my name a little amusing considering it's most commonly used in the feminine here.

Originally Posted by NZdick1983

Cheers Tod.. Yes, I'm not fluent in karaoke spelling/phonetics khun/kun.. narm/nahm whatever.. yep, I know the difference..

Umm went to school in Thailand while my father was living there... lived there 10 years... I dream in Thai lol... fluent in spoken Thai.. never bothered to learn to write it though..

Welcome to have a Thai conversation in Skype with me brah... then post your findings on here... give me an effluence rating 1/10... bring it on :-)
I'm many things, a liar is not one of them..

Skype "deleted" (no sex chat please lol)

You might like to edit that Skype contact out and pm it to todd instead.

*oh ok.. will do, thanks mate.

Originally Posted by NZdick1983

*oh ok.. will do, thanks mate.

No worries.

Originally Posted by Neep

They know my name but its usually "pee" they use.

Yes, your Wife's father probably calls you pee....

The best way to insult a Thai is to attack their parents .... you mother's a whore, your father's a peasant, etc... you'll get a much stronger reaction the 'ee-lao' or whatever.

Yeah, that's hard core... sometimes better to be more subtle...

someone younger/less status.. refer to them as "ter" (sp)... or "nong"...

*don't go for the "meung" (sp) because that just makes you look...well... low-class for want of a better word..

Better to avoid heavy insults, especially for a Farang.. it really is not a good look..