The word ?farang? gets banded around quite freely in Phuket and regardless of which particular interpretation you wish to accept, it is always used to describe foreigners and non-Thai people.

If you consider that there are approximately just 66 million Thai people on a planet with a population of 6.8 billion, then that leaves 6,734,000,000,000 farangs. Right?

Well not really, because they?re not really farangs are they? Surely a farang or foreigner is only such when he is in a foreign country instead of in his ?own country?.

But it?s not even really that is it? Although it can be argued that the present-day meaning of farang has changed somewhat, the etymology of the word derives from ?French?, as French people were the first Europeans to visit Thailand. Farang therefore simply means ?white? person.

We all know what life is like for a farang? Pretty damn good if we are to be truly honest. Sure, there is the odd bit of stereotyping and discrimination involved in being white in Phuket, I mean we?re all not here as sex tourists or here to exploit a cheaper workforce in order to profit ourselves are we? Some of us are here because we enjoy the lifestyle, the beaches and the food. Some of us take steps to become integrated into Thai society. Don?t we? Don?t you?

Even if you don?t then you?re still unlikely to experience many problems. You can re-create your little Western existence in Thailand without having to even acknowledge you are in a foreign country or even a foreigner.

A foreigner conjures up images of being in a ?foreign? or dramatically different environment, at being lost and having to battle with a language or culture to find your way and be understood. Farangs in Phuket however, can go and watch a movie in English, read a menu in English, give directions to a taxi driver in English, chat up a girl in English and then go home and eat English food (although not sure why anyone would). Farang culture permeates the seams of Phuket. So, you?re not a foreigner really are you? You?re a farang!

But what about for the true ?foreigners? in Thailand, the largest non-Thai ethnic grouping in Phuket - the Arabs or the Burmese. What is life like for them?

Whether born in Thailand or not, those who are from the Muslim faith are referred to as Kon Kaaks (Arab people) and make up around 35% of the Phuket population.

Supansa (Aorn) Naveewong, who was born in Thailand, is aware that some would use this term to describe her but prefers to be called a ?Muslim person?, ?We are Thai. My family has been Muslims from my grandfather until my daughter?s generation; we were all born in Thailand.?

Aorn said that she doesn?t find many problems in fitting in, ?I don?t think it?s too difficult because I live in Thai society and have Thai friends, we just do things slightly differently. Buddhists go to temples, while we go to Mosques.?

Phuket has 42 mosques in total and one that is always full to the rafters on Ju?muah (Friday congregational prayer) is the Cok Makam Musyid Mosque, (Patong Mosque) and is the one that Moazzam Butt, a Pakistani-born Muslim who has lived in Thailand for 22 years, attends regularly.

?Phuket is a halal hub now, many years ago there weren?t so many Arabs here, but that has changed and now there are many different types who live here - Malay Muslims, South African Muslims and many more.?

Moazamm admits that when he first arrived in Thailand it was difficult, partly owing to the language barrier. He therefore quickly made it his priority to learn it. Moazamm said, ?Although, when Thai people see me and my {?different?} face?, they treat me differently, when I speak Thai that changes and they become less cautious and more friendly. But you never really know what people think do you??

For Moazzam, learning the native language was an absolute necessity in order to not only prosper in the business world, but also in his private life. Moazamm is married to a Thai woman with whom he has had children with. This perhaps explains why he believes, ?I don?t really feel like a foreigner, well I feel about 30% foreign, as this is my home now. I am immersed in Thai culture.?

If Moazzam does want to connect with Arab culture and feel part of the Arab community, then he does so much easier than when he first arrived, ?The internet has opened up things a lot more. It?s quite easy to find out about Arab movies, music and religious festivals. You can find locations of mosques etc.?

The Burmese people are arguably the second largest non-Thai ethnic group and the Phuket Provincial Labour Office estimate that the number of legal and illegal Burmese workers in Phuket is about 150,000.

A tailor in Patong, who wishes to remain anonymous, came to Phuket 12 years ago, when he was just nineteen years old and for him being able to learn Thai was also well-needed but for business purposes more than social reasons, ?If we {Burmese} marry a girl with a different religion how can they be a good wife??

For the Patong tailor, the cultural differences are not sufficiently bridged by learning the language and as such he still feels very much foreign, ?The most difficult thing about being a Burmese foreigner is that if you are here legally then every time you go back to Burma to get your visa stamped then they heavily tax you and if you?re here illegally then you have to constantly worry about the police.?

But one thing that Aorn, Moazzam and our tailor have in common is that they all believe that if ?new arrivals? learn the language, then their experience will be much less segregated and more accessible, Aorn said ?I think it?s easier not only for the Arabs who come here now, but for all nationalities who come to invest, to do business, or live here.?

So farangs, just because we don?t need to struggle to understand the native language, or fastidiously learn Thai etiquette so as not to upset the boss doesn?t mean we shouldn?t. Kao Jai mai?