{"id":1799,"date":"2026-04-18T17:01:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T10:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/glossary\/farang\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T19:34:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T12:34:07","slug":"farang","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/farang\/","title":{"rendered":"Farang: Meaning and Use in Thailand"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p><strong>Farang<\/strong> (\u0e1d\u0e23\u0e31\u0e48\u0e07, also spelled <em>falang<\/em> ou <em>farung<\/em>) is the everyday Thai word for a foreigner of European appearance. It is thought to derive from the Persian and Arabic word for the Franks, which travelled east along trade routes centuries ago, and it also happens to be the Thai word for guava. The term has no legal meaning: no Thai statute uses it, and the law speaks instead of an alien or foreigner (\u0e04\u0e19\u0e15\u0e48\u0e32\u0e07\u0e14\u0e49\u0e32\u0e27, <em>khon tang dao<\/em>). A newcomer will hear it daily.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table des mati\u00e8res<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#what-the-word-means-and-how-it-is-used\">What the word means and how it is used<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#the-legal-category-is-alien-not-farang\">The legal category is alien, not farang<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#is-farang-offensive-and-does-it-matter-legally\">Is farang offensive, and does it matter legally<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#frequently-asked-questions\">Foire aux questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-the-word-means-and-how-it-is-used\">What the word means and how it is used<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p><strong>In ordinary speech<\/strong> farang is a descriptive label, not an insult. Thais use it among themselves to refer to any white Westerner, regardless of nationality, in the same way one might say &#8220;the Australian&#8221; or &#8220;the tall one&#8221;. It is not applied to Asian, African or Middle Eastern foreigners, who are described by nationality or region. Tone and context carry the meaning: &#8220;farang khi nok&#8221; (bird-dropping farang) is a genuine slur for a stingy or low-class foreigner, while &#8220;farang&#8221; on its own is neutral.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-legal-category-is-alien-not-farang\">The legal category is alien, not farang<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p><strong>Thai law defines status by nationality, not appearance.<\/strong> The Immigration Act B.E. 2522 governs entry, stay and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/deportation\/\">deportation<\/a> of aliens; the Foreigners&#8217; Working Management Emergency Decree B.E. 2560 governs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/work-permit\/\">permis de travail<\/a>; Section 86 of the Land Code bars aliens from owning land; and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/foreign-business-act\/\">Loi sur les entreprises \u00e9trang\u00e8res BE 2542<\/a> defines a foreigner to include a company in which foreigners hold half or more of the shares. A naturalised Thai citizen of European origin is a farang in the street and a Thai national in every one of those statutes.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-farang-offensive-and-does-it-matter-legally\">Is farang offensive, and does it matter legally<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>Most long-term residents accept the word and use it about themselves. It becomes a problem only when attached to a pejorative, or when used to justify different treatment. Dual pricing at attractions is based on nationality or residence rather than on the word itself, and a foreigner holding a Thai driving licence, work permit or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/pink-id-card\/\">carte d'identit\u00e9 rose<\/a> can often obtain the local rate. Nothing in the law turns on being a farang; everything turns on the visa, permit or nationality on the documents in hand.<\/p><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Foire aux questions<\/h2>\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list\">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Is farang a rude word in Thai?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Not by itself. It is the neutral everyday term for a Western foreigner and is used freely by Thais and by foreigners about themselves. It becomes offensive only in combinations such as farang khi nok, or when said with obvious contempt.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">Does farang apply to all foreigners in Thailand?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>No. It refers to white Westerners specifically. Foreigners from Japan, China, India, Africa or the Middle East are referred to by nationality or region, and the legal term covering everyone who is not a Thai national is alien (khon tang dao).<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question\">What is the legal term for a foreigner in Thai law?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer\">\n\n<p>Thai statutes use alien or foreigner, khon tang dao in Thai, defined by nationality. The Immigration Act, the Land Code, the work permit decree and the Foreign Business Act each apply their rules to that category, and none of them uses the word farang.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><p>Voir aussi\u00a0: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/work-permit\/\">permis de travail<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/foreign-business-act\/\">Loi sur les entreprises \u00e9trang\u00e8res<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/land-code\/\">Code foncier<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/glossary\/pink-id-card\/\">carte d'identit\u00e9 rose<\/a>, and our guides on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/moving-to-thailand-guide\/\">moving to Thailand<\/a> ET <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/essential-culture-and-etiquette-guide-thailand\/\">Thai culture and etiquette<\/a>.<\/p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Farang (\u0e1d\u0e23\u0e31\u0e48\u0e07, also spelled falang or farung) is the everyday Thai word for a foreigner of European appearance. It is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":214,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"farang meaning","rank_math_title":"Farang Meaning: What the Thai Word Signifies | ThaiLawOnline","rank_math_description":"Farang meaning: the Thai word for a Western foreigner, where it comes from, whether it is rude, and the legal category of alien that Thai statutes use.","rank_math_breadcrumb_title":""},"class_list":["post-1799","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1799"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6865,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1799\/revisions\/6865"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thailawonline.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}