How Many Farang?

Post by **milkman** » December 6, 2012, 3:11 pm

I think there are 10,000 farang in Thailand. But my friend thinks it's more like 1 million! Anybody know, and have a source to back up their number?

Also, I wonder how many farang there are in Udon. I see the same farang over and over, so my guess is 500. Am I right?

Post by **rct** » December 6, 2012, 3:20 pm

I do not have answers so probably should stay quiet...though Milkman's guess seems low to me on both counts.

A decade ago, before I lived here, a friend took me into Harry's bar, at that time Harry estimated 300 farang living in Udon and he said "most of them don't have money." Would not surprise me one bit if today there are 10 times that number residing in Udon (the province).

Farang denotes westerners, however if one includes foreigners of Asian descent, the numbers in Thailand will be much bigger, even if not so many in Udon.

Post by **parrot** » December 6, 2012, 3:59 pm

I might be wrong on the time, but I believe Grasshopper asked this question of Master Po in 1972. And, as was the norm for Master Po, Grasshopper received an answer that only the enlightened would understand.
Something along the lines of:
Grasshopper: "Master, do you know how many farangs are in Udon?"
Po: “I only know that Nietzsche said it's better to know nothing to half-know many things”

Pick a number between 1000-10,000. Surely the answer is somewhere in-between, but no one's saying.

Post by **fatbob** » December 6, 2012, 4:13 pm

rct wrote:Farang denotes westerners, however if one includes foreigners of Asian descent, the numbers in Thailand will be much bigger, even if not so many in Udon.

I always was under the impression 'farang' meant Western European, as an Aussie I am not a farang.

Post by **BigBubba** » December 6, 2012, 4:22 pm

At the last ACS outreach visit from the U.S. Embassy here in Udon 119 AMERICANS showed up. These are only people who needed some type of Visa or other official business from the Embassy, and are only from one country, America. I'm only guessing, but I think the number Americans in Udon province is well over 500. The Brits easily out number us. Then toss in all the other western countries that are well represented here...

Given that Udon is not the most desireable place in Thailand to live (all things considered) I think 10,000 for the whole country might be low. Then another factor is are you talking about only full time residents, or also those that may split their time between here and their home country. Surely Immigration could tell you, but not much likelihood of that happening either.

Post by **mortiboy** » December 6, 2012, 4:40 pm

Maybe here is some clue...........
Wikipedia drops some numbers for Bangkok. None of this data, like much of what is said on Wikipedia, is backed up with any authoritative citation, but it is a place to start. 2010 stats report a registered Bangkok population of 6.9m. Let's accept that as a fact while acknowledging that many unregistered residents are not accounted for. The demographics of the registered are broken down as Chinese (3.45m), ethnic Thais (3.14m), Thai Indian (138,000 to 207,000), Whites (70,000 to 140,000), Japanese (70,000), other East Asian (70,000), Africans (35,000), and Arabs (35,000). The Chinese stats are deceiving because they refer to Chinese Thais, who are Thai citizens. The Thai Indians, likewise, are also Thai citizens.

Wikipedia goes on to say that there are 250,000 long-term mainland Chinese; 105,000 Indians, most of them Sikhs and of which 80% hold dual Thai citizenship; 44,000 Japanese, 25,000 Americans; 75,000 Europeans not broken down by nationality; 15,000 Taiwanese; 20,000 South Koreans; 7,500 Australians; 12,000 Arabs; 20,000 Malaysians; 4,000 Singaporeans; 5,000 Filipinos; and 800 New Zealanders. Very few of those numbers are substantiated. Some contradict the other numbers offered. How can there be both 70,000 Japanese and 44,000 Japanese?

Post by **Khun Paul** » December 6, 2012, 4:58 pm

A rouigh estimate would be betwen 5-9000 in Udon Thani province, at least a couple of years ago it was nearly 9000, but since then due to the financial upheaval many have left so the actual figure would be lower I expect, there are many who split their time between us and their home countrey. The number I am talking about are those that are here full time.
in truth the only people that know the real answer are Immigration and they are not talking, so it really is anyone guess, but I have noticed there are less than about two years ago.

Post by **kjellsnell** » December 6, 2012, 6:08 pm

coxo wrote:
rct wrote:Farang denotes westerners, however if one includes foreigners of Asian descent, the numbers in Thailand will be much bigger, even if not so many in Udon.
I always was under the impression 'farang' meant Western European, as an Aussie I am not a farang.

The Thai people count even Iranians and Pakaistanians as Farrangs... :-"

Post by **milkman** » December 6, 2012, 6:35 pm

My wife and I were talking about Hassa, who has a food stand in Centerpointe. I called him "the hardest working farang in Udon," and she said, "He not farang. He ghang." I know as an American, she considers me a farang, so I imagine our Aussie friends are too.

Post by **mortiboy** » December 6, 2012, 7:28 pm

[quote="milkman"]My wife and I were talking about Hassa, who has a food stand in Centerpointe. I called him "the hardest working farang in Udon," and she said, "He not farang. He ghang." I know as an American, she considers me a farang, so I imagine our Aussie friends are too. :D[/quote]
Ghang? I think that be curry Alan :lol: ..... He is" Khak"

Post by **milkman** » December 6, 2012, 7:29 pm

I should have added to the above that Hassa is from Iran.

Post by **rick** » December 6, 2012, 9:51 pm

I have heard the figure 5700 for Udon Thani mentioned, but not sure if this is Muang or Province. The problem with counting them is who qualifies? Only those on annual visas? What about all those on 3 month multi-entries? And those on tourist visas? As said, many work elsewhere and visit for varying periods. And immigration only know about those who are registering addresses, a lot of short term visa farangs may not give a proper address (I used to say 'a hotel in XX'; never had a problem). Then of course, if you re-enter, maybe you get counted twice.

Ok, homes. in my village have 3 farang in about 200 houses - long term residents only; there are at least a dozen occaisionals (currently back home countries with wives.) i'm sure in the housing developments proportion is higher.

Supermarkets - any time i go at least 1% of customers are farang.

KP thinks the number has declined - I think it has increased. 3-4 years ago more farang socialised but often saw the same faces. Now many of those i met back then do not socialise as much, either because more settled or because eat at home to stretch the budget. Nearly every farang i see on the street is some one i do not know; just around 3-4 who i tend to see at the big supermarkets are people i know. The bars are quiet, but 4 years ago you used to say hello or nod at other farang on the street because it was rare event; now you don't because so many. Certainly in Udon i think farang make up about 1% of population; population of city now 400,000, so that would be about 4,000 - so 5,700 seems quite likely. Maybe 15,000 in the province as a whole.

Post by **kjellsnell** » December 6, 2012, 10:09 pm

I remember last year there was som counting about farrangs but that was how many farrang who was legaly married to a Thai women in Izzan and that was up 15000......but that doesnt say something about how many living her for full time and of caurse...and we have many not even come close to a webbing-----------

Post by **stattointhailand** » December 6, 2012, 10:44 pm

Cant be that many ....

Udon Immigration staff houses aren't THAT posh ........... YET

Post by **Khun Paul** » December 7, 2012, 5:44 am

The question is really irrelevant as due to the shifting financila situation worldwide, many that were here are now no longer hee and many cannot come here at all.
I do agree that i see less shopping than i did, or maybe i go shopping when most are at home, I don't really know but looking at the nightlife, it seems there are a lot less people around than 2 years ago.

Post by **pmc** » December 7, 2012, 6:41 am

at any one time 100.000 plus farangs living in thailand.

Post by **fatbob** » December 7, 2012, 6:57 am

kjellsnell wrote:coxo wrote:
rct wrote:
Farang denotes westerners, however if one includes foreigners of Asian descent, the numbers in Thailand will be much bigger, even if not so many in Udon.

I always was under the impression 'farang' meant Western European, as an Aussie I am not a farang.

Look it up on 'wikepedia'

Post by **merchant seaman** » December 7, 2012, 8:13 am

How many? This has been asked many times and seems no one really knows.

Post by **harmonyudon** » December 7, 2012, 10:27 am

merchant seaman wrote:How many? This has been asked many times and seems no one really knows.

I know ...TOO many

Post by **BigBubba** » December 7, 2012, 1:28 pm

coxo wrote:
kjellsnell wrote:coxo wrote:
rct wrote:
Farang denotes westerners, however if one includes foreigners of Asian descent, the numbers in Thailand will be much bigger, even if not so many in Udon.

I always was under the impression 'farang' meant Western European, as an Aussie I am not a farang.

Look it up on 'wikepedia'

According to "Thai2English", an online translator, farang has 2 meanings... westerner OR caucasian. Talking with my wife, it has more to do with skin color than country of origin. People from other asian countries are not farang. And I'm NOT trying to open a can of worms here, but my wife tells me black skinned people are also not called farang, but negro. DON'T SHOOT ME, I'M ONLY THE MESSENGER!