My Grand Tour Experience: A Taste of Thai by Joshua Pratama

Week 4 already and our fellow student, Joshua, is almost halfway on his Grand Tour journey in Thailand. He has made friends with local and international students. He noticed that the Thai people often referred the international students who come from Western countries as “farangs”. After talking to his Thai friends, Max and Little, he came to understand that the term does not mean to be offensive and that the presence of “farangs” in the country is seen as a positive thing.

Farangs VS Thais

First thing that probably pops up in your mind: What the heck is “farang” (or "farangs" in plural)? Another lesson learnt this week, this term is none other than “bule”, a term commonly used in Indonesia. Similarly, “bule” can also be interpreted as foreigners especially white people. Is the usage of this word offensive? Even though it is controversial, it is generally accepted in the local community. Just to give you a little bit of what “farang” is perceived in Thailand, here is the definition by Urban Dictionary:

‘Thai word for white people or Westerners, generically referring to non-asians. Generally used without derogatory connotation, derived from the Thai word "farangsayt" for French.’ 

To be honest, I do not want to ignite a racist clash because of this title. I think it is interesting to bring this topic up, as this week’s blog will feature two of my Thai buddies, Max and Little. Not to mention that they are my mobile Google to get an insight into Thai cultures, but also I am curious to know how they perceive the influx of foreigners in their country including us, the Grand Tour students. Thus, this is how my casual interview with both of them goes.

Max (https://www.facebook.com/happy.mmb?fref=ts)

A 21-year-old Max who was born to a Lao father and a Thai mother is currently a second-year student in the Faculty of Business Administration at Rangsit University. He is my first Thai friend that I met from the previous Buffalo Village field trip last week. Since then, I have spent more time with him having dinner together as well as introduced him to my fellow Grand Tour colleagues. Originally from a rural area near Thailand and Laos’ border, check out his response below regarding the issue of “farang”: 

Q: What do you think about the presence of foreigners/”farangs” in your country?

A: I am thankful that many foreigners come to Thailand. It is a positive thing. We (refer to Thai people) are very welcome to foreigners because we can share our cultures and learn new languages as well. I also learn a lot from you to improve my English skills.

Q: So, what does “farang” mean for you?

A: Well, “farang” is a Thai word that only refers to western people. It sounds similar to the word “foreigner”, but since it is difficult for Thai people to pronounce, it is then a habit to call foreigners as “farang”. I would say that it is not rude at all. Interestingly, the word “farang” itself also literally means guava as the fruit in Thai language. 

Q: Are you used to seeing “farangs” in your hometown, for example or rural areas?

A: I saw them also in my hometown. In fact, there are many women who get married with older “farangs” because many people believe that they will be rich. Many of us think that “farangs” are rich. That is the reason so many “farangs”, even in the rural areas, get married to local women.

Little (https://www.facebook.com/little.supattra?fref=ts)

A 2^nd year Thai girl from the Faculty of Liberal Arts majoring in English, Little, as the name suggests, is my little friend with a big heart as she is very nice and helpful. Born and raised in Bangkok, Little is proud of studying at Rangsit University because of these reasons!

Q: How do you feel studying at Rangsit University?

A: I think Rangsit University is the best university for me because it is very famous in Thailand and you can get a good job after you graduate. Rangsit University has set high standards of education and teaches us invaluable lessons of practical corporate life which would help us in the future.

Q: What do you think about the exchange programmes at Rangsit University? Do you like more foreign students to come here?

A: Yes, of course. I think the idea of students exchange is a good idea to know more about other people’s cultures from various backgrounds. This makes me curious. Besides, I can be a more open-minded person that is able to handle different intercultural situations. Even though I am shy at first, but I am trying to communicate in English to be better.

To sum up, Thai people are, in general, very welcome towards foreigners and different cultures. In Rangsit University, for example, many of the local students are eager to learn from different nationalities and various cultures, including me myself too. For me, it may not be too obvious that I am a foreigner since I look like Thai. For the other Grand Tours, I believe that they are not offended when someone calls them “farangs” due to their “sabai-sabai”, which means chillax in Thai.

So far, I have not experienced or at least, noticed any resentment against “farangs” in Thailand, but it may be interesting to know that there must be someone in the society that dislikes the presence of “farangs”. Even so, just like what karma teaches us, if your deed is bad then you must pay for it. That is why it is important for me as a Grand Tour student in Thailand to pay respect to the local customs and adapt to them in order to avoid any trouble.

Lastly, thank you very much my buddies, Max and Little! If you would like to connect with them, add them as your friends on Facebook above J