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Why are white people expats when the rest of us are immigrants?


george

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None of this expat/immigrant nonsense in England. Foreigners are all immigrants no matter what race, colour or creed, because there is a subconscious belief that we are superior to everyone. As Cecil Rhodes said to a subaltern moaning about his prospects in southern Africa, "Sir, you were born an Englishman, so have already won first prize in the lottery of life." Ah the good old days of empire, when I could have made a fortune in the colonies by age 25, and been dead of cholera or yellow fever by 30.

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The author seems a bit racist with his/her focus on colour/race. We call people who are perceived as permanent migrants "immigrants" and people who came temporarily as "expats". An expat will most likely not integrate in the country, an immigrant will or should. Ofcourse some temporary aliens become permanent ones and some aliens who intended a permanent move pack their bags early.

Too western immigration, every foreigner who is not a tourist is an immigrant. People may take an educated guess if the alien is a permanent or temporary visitor. Somebody from a developed country may very well be a temporary worker departing after 1-2 years if people have to make an educated guess. People from less developed countries might very well be there permanent, though some people may not call that seasonal worker or nanny an "expat", and connect the term to white collar jobs were as the labour intensive work would be "temporary workers"?

The term certainly has nothing to do with the colour of your skin or country of origin! I find it racist to believe otherwise. Too bad the author is fixed on skin colour. I find that offensive and discriminating: racism. sad.png

To the Thai all alliens are temporary guests or visitors, getting an immigrant status or citizenship is sadly almost impossible. So pretty much all foreign people here are expats. Furher classified by the colour of there skin, white's being called "farang" (gringo's). Not very much respectful either if one is always just a farang/gringo as if one does not belong (there/here).

I'd say temporary worker or guest worker is an appropriate term to describe someone who comes to another country for work for a temporary period, and is either not eligible for, or does not seek residency or citizenship in the host country. Therefore, most Burmese and Cambodians are actually guest workers, the term "migrant worker" is kind of misleading and almost a case of PC talk than anything else. The fact is, it's very misleading to refer to them as migrants because they are not. They are every bit as temporary in Thailand (if not more so) than rich western "expats" as they are NOT eligible for citizenship, in fact they never will be. A Thai man who I got to know quite well, who was unfortunately murdered as a result of some business dispute almost 2 years ago (or was it a dispute about "stealing" someone else's wife? I don't know), but he told me this. Since he had close connections with government officials and knowing the terms and conditions for becoming a Thai citizen, I believe his words as he would have known such things in intricate detail.

I have also met Burmese "migrants" who are not really migrants because they are still here on the same labourer visa they came on originally, who've been in Thailand for 20 years. They know they will never be eligible for Thai citizenship, not legally anyway. Not to mention the fact that even if they somehow could become citizens, they would lose their Burmese citizenship, which they don't want. Myanmar only allows one citizenship.

For comparison purposes though, in Thai they are known as "raeng ngan dang dao" (Thai: แรงงานด่างด้าว) or "alien labourers" or "alien workers". The term "migrant labourer" is not used in Thai.

Edited by Tomtomtom69
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So is my black british friend that lives and works here a migrant or an expat considering we both have the same exact occupation?

I'm afraid the Thai have an altogether different word for him.

Ah!, but the black british friend could be a rich [word that cannot be mentioned], whereas locals with dark skin are all peasants. (not my personal opinion of course). There's gotto be some rich dark skinned locals. If there are, then the word for the false belief that all dark skinned people are peasants is called Prejudice.

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georgeubon, on 16 Mar 2015 - 10:45, said:

falang is people from outside of country. If they are white, that falang is polite, smart, and have some money. So if you are white, dont worry too much.

Falang that is black, ie africa origin, it is not thought of nicely. For example, too black, dumb, white teeth( they laugh at this time too), with a big dingdong.

Asian girls with white guy is better than with black guy in their view. But tell that to the NBA players in America, it doesn't work.

I guess its in the asian culture, to not stir up trouble, etc.

Only whitish Europeans are Farangs!! Other nationalities are NEVER called Farangs!!

Black people might be. As in "farang dam". But black people are so rare in Thailand (except maybe on the lower Sois on Sukhumvit road) that most Thais have no knowledge or even concept of them.

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JB300, on 16 Mar 2015 - 09:58, said:

laubau" data-cid="9192031" data-time="1426483912" data-date="Today, 13:31 said:

Have a clue! For the same reason, only while people are called Farangs by Thais, Kwai lo by Chinese, Orang Bulleh by Indonesians, Masaleh by Malaysians, Orang Puteh by Singaporeans and Haole by Hawaiians!!

I thought I was "Bule" to Indonesians, "Ang Moh" to Singaporeans & "Kano" to Filipinos.

Oh & apparently, being a white guy, it's impossible for me to be an ethnic minority!!! This from a serious conversation with (supposedly intelligent) Indian colleagues whilst working in Singapore who told me they were ethnic minorities (Indians are the 3rd largest ethnic group in Singapore) but I couldn't be one as I was white/British [emoji15]

Sorry for the spelling mistake. It is either Bule or Bulek in Indonesia. If you want to get technical, Kwai Loh or Gwai Lo is used by the vast majority of Chinese & Singaporean-Chinese and it is offensive! The Cantonese in Malaysia & Singapore use Ang Moh but they are still a minority in Singapore & China for sure. I do not care what Wikipedia says!! (Do not forget the old speak Mandarin campaign). I have lived and worked in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China & Thailand for about 30 years. For your info, I was married to a Singaporean-Malay, speak fluent Malay/Indonesian and lived in Singapore for about 10 years. If you only hang out with Cantonese...
Interesting, you learn something new everyday, I thought Gwai Lo was Japanese & in my 6 1/2 years of Working with the local Singaporean & Malaysian Chinese (all of whom speak Mandarin), I've never heard anything but Ang Moh used (in fact, my Filipina girlfriend has spent so much time in Singapore she uses the term Ang Moh when referring to a white person, come to think of it, as did all of the Filipinos I was working with).

I'm not saying that I'm right & you're wrong, just that my experience has been different... Maybe people are just being polite (I don't find the term Ang Moh offensive though Singapore is fast becoming much more xenophobic so it may well become).

Cheers

JB

Edit: Quick google search shows that you are correct and Gweilo is the correct term, as it seems Ang Moh is more of a Singaporean (Hokkien)/Malaysian thing which could be why it's what I'm used to hearing there http://www.angmohdan.com/8-ang-moh-adjectives/

Singapore is however one of the few Asian countries with a significant "white" and/or Eurasian minority, which also happens to be reasonably integrated into society. Not only that, but the chances of obtaining Singaporean citizenship are much greater than obtaining the citizenship of practically any other Asian country.

And yes, there does seem to be some sort of undercurrent of hostility towards outsiders emerging in Singapore, but I don't think it's being directed at westerners per se, in fact, it seems to be either against foreigners in general (because apparently we're all stealing their jobs) or against mainland Chinese.

I don't even live there but happen to know quite a bit about Singaporean sentiments.

Edited by Tomtomtom69
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The OP has a massive chip on his shoulder and is a nobody who thinks he's a somebody.. No one ever said an expat was a caucasian. My classmates who went overseas for their employers and the government were expats. One was of asian origin, another was 'gasp' a black fellow. I don't know if he was 'black' enough to satisfy the embittered angry african writer. This piece is just idiotic like the rest of the author's articles.

Anyone on a legitimate job assignment in a foreign country is an expat. The boiler room workers from Canada working in Pattaya may be white, but they are not expats. They are just crooks. The Nigerians peddling drugs in Bangkok are not immigrants. They are drug pushers/entrepreneurs.

If the OP's warped logic was applied to non whites from the UK or USA working in Thailand, they would be 'guest workers", but not expats. Someone should tell all the Japanese and Korean execs in Bangkok who describe themselves as expats, that they have it wrong because the self described "world peace activist" says so. With stupid rants like his, is it any wonder his fundraising campaign is going nowhere.

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The O.P. is factually wrong.

In the middle east country where I am working now, all non-citizens are referred to either as tourists or expatriate workers.

In Thailand, I though there were the following categories for non-citizens

1) Tourists

2) Indentured Workers

3) Temporary Account Holders

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Started nodding-off with this thread round about post #126, so UNSUBSCRIBING from thread now. Good luck solving this one here on thaivisa (with all the nonsense and stupidity).

It wasn't an issue to begin with.....I've never heard a Thai person use "Expat" or "Immigrant".

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In Thailand everybody is "FARANG". Except for Indians and middle eastern people are called "Kaeg", and Africans are called "Afrigan".

I think you'll find that the term Farang is confined to people of the white race.

Not according to my 'wife'. Farang or falung refers to being different in every way. The skin is part of it but so is the shape of the features and social habits.

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I love to hear an african complain about he/she is being judged by their colour. I am an african, in the old days i would have been put in jail for who i am today.people (black) call me a racist but i am married to a thai (asian) my daughter married to a coloured with child. 555 to top it , my best mate in thailand is " black". sorry get over it.

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In Thailand everybody is "FARANG". Except for Indians and middle eastern people are called "Kaeg", and Africans are called "Afrigan".

I think you'll find that the term Farang is confined to people of the white race.

Not according to my 'wife'. Farang or falung refers to being different in every way. The skin is part of it but so is the shape of the features and social habits.

96tehtarp... the term "Farang dam" kinda p*sses on your white race theory then... "the white race who is black" whistling.gif

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I'm all for wiping out all borders everywhere, all over the world, and people can go where they like, live where they like, without being hassled, without being persecuted, and everyone is just another person. I'm no expat or immigrant--I'm just here. Get over it.

Seriously wipe out borders? ?

Go try living in a shitehole war torn country and then see how you like no borders.

No way.

Edited by krisb
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Wikipedia should not really be taken as the truth.

Wikipedia can be edited by anyone.

In fact the whole op is totally incorrect not to mention racist.

Edited by krisb
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