Name calling in Thailand

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HHTel
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by HHTel »

Spitfire wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 9:08 pm The R and the V are a problem when it comes to the locals pronouncing things in English correctly.

HHTel...surprised they didn't call you "Telly"....haha
That was one of the options before getting to Charlie.

Telly - Tully - Chelly - Challee - ....ok that'll do!
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by Stargeezer »

My name has a V in it, and the closest I get called is Howie. Which is okay with me. A lot of my Thai family have
made the effort and call me by my real first name. I have never heard any of them call me a Farang. If people ask
I will hear the word Canada, and even Alberta, which is surprising. I will get asked if I know someone in Toronto
or in Montreal, or Ottawa, and I tell them that it takes 5 hours to fly to Toronto, 5 and a half to Ottawa and
over 6 hours to fly to Montreal, so No I do not know that person. I am okay with being called a Farang, and after
visiting Thailand so many times I doubt that I will ever be an Expat. I know I will never mistakenly be called BB
either, (inside joke).
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

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With my name, the hilarity comes with it's similarity to the Thai word for having a pee, which is what many use because it's a word they can relate to.

Then there's the Thai ladies who call their boyfriend/husband Dak Ling, supposedly because they can't manage Darling :D .
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by HHTel »

Da-ling ----- monkey ar*e
Ma-dam ------ black dog

We know when they're taking the p*ss....
But what the hell!
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by Big Boy »

HHTel wrote: Fri Jul 28, 2017 8:54 am We know when they're taking the p*ss....
But what the hell!
Exactly, we're living in Thailand, and it's harmless Thai fun. :D
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by StevePIraq »

Big Boy wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:15 pm
OK, but Thais are often embarrassed if the say your name wrong.
Why make excuses for Thais having difficulty in saying a word and implying they are embarrassed. I have a friend named Adrian, the wife calls him Alien with no embarrassment. I also have great difficulty saying many Thai words but I try.

Some time ago I got quite annoyed when a friend referred to Thai women as LBFMs and felt I had to take him up on this. If you do not know the meaning of LBFM look it up as I will not expand on it here.
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by Big Boy »

I'm not trying to make excuses, but some people will be more reserved about trying to use an alien word than others.

To some people, your friend's observation was correct. I've done the walk from Hua Hin Temple to the Fishing Pier area a few times recently. Business must be very slow because I've never been propositioned so many times in such a short time, not even in Pattaya. Depending upon your friend's usual habitat, he could well believe what he was saying. It is not a view I agree with, and if somebody suggested that about my wife, I'd have probably had a similar reaction. However, my opinion of Thai women was very similar after my first Thai holiday back in the 80s. In fact, when I got back to the UK, a Scottish friend picked me up for speaking in a similar way.
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by RCer »

StevePIraq wrote: Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:39 am
Big Boy wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:15 pm
OK, but Thais are often embarrassed if the say your name wrong.
Why make excuses for Thais having difficulty in saying a word and implying they are embarrassed. I have a friend named Adrian, the wife calls him Alien with no embarrassment. I also have great difficulty saying many Thai words but I try.

Some time ago I got quite annoyed when a friend referred to Thai women as LBFMs and felt I had to take him up on this. If you do not know the meaning of LBFM look it up as I will not expand on it here.
Sadly it was a term coined by American servicemen during the Vietnam war. It was used commonly toward all Asian women, not just Thai.
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

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And self inflicted on the many, because of the actions of the few.
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by J.J.B. »

On being "offended":

"A man who does not think for himself, does not think at all."
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by 404cameljockey »

RCer wrote: Fri Jul 28, 2017 12:07 pm
StevePIraq wrote: Fri Jul 28, 2017 10:39 am
Big Boy wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 5:15 pm
OK, but Thais are often embarrassed if the say your name wrong.
Why make excuses for Thais having difficulty in saying a word and implying they are embarrassed. I have a friend named Adrian, the wife calls him Alien with no embarrassment. I also have great difficulty saying many Thai words but I try.

Some time ago I got quite annoyed when a friend referred to Thai women as LBFMs and felt I had to take him up on this. If you do not know the meaning of LBFM look it up as I will not expand on it here.
Sadly it was a term coined by American servicemen during the Vietnam war. It was used commonly toward all Asian women, not just Thai.
War changes people and male only societies (eg an army!) are know to be pretty crude at times, but now we are a lifetime away from that era. Men that use expressions like that seem to have no idea how utterly shi**y they appear to most other people. Sex workers are good and bad just like anyone, and demeaning them is the act of a moron.

I love the idea of being called Alien though. :D
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by Groodman »

My name is Rodney

I have been called Farang by female friends of my Thai wife followed by a big cuddle, my father in law calls me Woodey neither do I find offensive.

I run a pub for a while near London and was called more offensive names (also assaulted and spat upon) than I have ever been called in Thailand. Also I have witnessed worse name calling against Asian people in London than anything I have heard against expats in Thailand
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by Bamboo Grove »

I was called Ossamoh, Utsamo and Sumo by Thais and Oz by my English speaking friends, all ok. But the best has happened now in Shanghai; the other teacher here called me Awesome and didn't like to correct her. It was such a nice way to start the class: "Hello Awesome." :D
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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by Spitfire »

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Re: Name calling in Thailand

Post by 404cameljockey »

Bamboo Grove wrote: Fri Jul 28, 2017 7:13 pm I was called Ossamoh, Utsamo and Sumo by Thais and Oz by my English speaking friends, all ok. But the best has happened now in Shanghai; the other teacher here called me Awesome and didn't like to correct her. It was such a nice way to start the class: "Hello Awesome." :D
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