Isan Lover
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Hittade det här idag och tyckte det var intressant att få ta del av historien bakom och varför förhållandet mellan Thai och Lao är som det är, jag lade in det här om någon mer tycker det är intressant.
Do Thai and Lao people understand each other's language very well? Why do they hate each other so much?
I am Lao. I can understand 90% Thai. “Why do they hate each other so much?” I think I know what the questioner had in mind. To give the answers to this, one has to understand further to the history between these two nations of the same ancestors. With flaws, yes, but the word “hate” is not adequate.
1_ First wave: Lao Lan Xang torn apart in 3 small kingdoms fell into vassal states of the Thai Siam. They had to contribute slave-farmers needed to be settled in the buffer zones between Ayutthaya and Bangkok. At that time Ayutthaya and all lands North of it had been still occupied by Burmans. After Thai Siam seized back their capital, some of these people got back home, some of them must stay there. You can find a lot of their direct descendants at that areas the present day. Thai call them Lao-Khang.
Slaves Lao women building fortifications (Thai source).
2_ Second wave: After the uprising of the Vientiane king Chao Anou extinguished, Thai Siam punitive expedition burnt down Vientiane kingdom to the roots, and all its inhabitants forced to leave to the right bank of the Mekong to be slave-farmers, not allowed to go back. Getting absolute control of the fertile soil of the Khorat Plateau (right bank, Isan today), Thai Siam needed more and more slaves to work in the rice fields in that land. So they started to hunt slaves whereelse, in the North, North East (Xieng Khouang Plateau) of Laos. It was at that time the peak of the slavery in the world (see the cotton fields slavery in the South States). Most of the Isan inhabitants today have their ancestors from the Vientiane kingdom, many of them, for ex. Phouane people or Phou Thay, from all over the places in Laos. Thais call them Thai Isan. But in the provinces North of Bangkok they still call themself Lao Vieng.
The Hoo Pha Keo Temple (Montpellier University source)
Restoration of That Luang, the symbol of the former Lan Xang Kingdom (Montpellier University source)
A ruined pagoda left alone in Xieng Khouang 19–05–1905 (Montpellier University source) after all inhabitants were taken away to populate the Khorat Plateau (Isan today).
Lao slaves-farmers somewhere in Isan (Thai source).
So, when Thai people get very angry and need to insult their interlocutor, they just say that he/she is Lao, and add some water buffalos in it. For Thais the status of Lao is not that higher than oxes, both have to work quietly in the rice fields, and that’s all.
3_ Chao Anou Vong: As a king’s child he had been held hostage in Bangkok with his two elder brothers. Growing up there he became warrior, and helped a Thai general in numerous battles, among them the capture back of Ayutthaya (this general became the king of Thais after that). As a man of merit he was released and sent back to rule in Vientiane. Being there after a while, he started his famous uprisings against his former Thai brother in arm. Knowing the might of the Thai army, having no army for himself, why he brought out the uprisings which led to the annihilation of his kingdom. He was betrayed, caught, kept with his family in a steel cage in front of the palace for 7 days (for the example). Tortured he died the 8-th day (Thai and English dyplomatic sources). The only reason he did it is that if he won’t do nothing, his people will all talk Thai Siam language (see Thaification - Wikipedia). Lao will vanish. So he sacrificed himself.
Lao people willingly welcomed French establishment, because they knew that, under France, someday they will be free, in the opposite to the Thai Siam (Montpellier University source).
4_Lao people today: Even though they can speak fluently the language, when they have to say a word in Thai, they always feel a little bit thorny in their heart. In my community among my friends and acquaintances, we respect the Thai people, treat them like some distant relatives. We invite them in the case of some events, and we always have good time together. But going out together for a beer, no, can’t do. In the opposite, we love to hang out with Isan guys, several of my friends even got married to Isan girls.
It’s a long comment but I hope it would help in the understanding, why are we so close and so far away at the same time.
P.S.: I am not pro-communist, since 1976 I am abroad. I know that well educated or having any relations with Laos, Thais treat us respectfully, polite and great. Like we always do against them.
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Mvh isan lover
Hittade det här idag och tyckte det var intressant att få ta del av historien bakom och varför förhållandet mellan Thai och Lao är som det är, jag lade in det här om någon mer tycker det är intressant.
Do Thai and Lao people understand each other's language very well? Why do they hate each other so much?
I am Lao. I can understand 90% Thai. “Why do they hate each other so much?” I think I know what the questioner had in mind. To give the answers to this, one has to understand further to the history between these two nations of the same ancestors. With flaws, yes, but the word “hate” is not adequate.
1_ First wave: Lao Lan Xang torn apart in 3 small kingdoms fell into vassal states of the Thai Siam. They had to contribute slave-farmers needed to be settled in the buffer zones between Ayutthaya and Bangkok. At that time Ayutthaya and all lands North of it had been still occupied by Burmans. After Thai Siam seized back their capital, some of these people got back home, some of them must stay there. You can find a lot of their direct descendants at that areas the present day. Thai call them Lao-Khang.
Slaves Lao women building fortifications (Thai source).
2_ Second wave: After the uprising of the Vientiane king Chao Anou extinguished, Thai Siam punitive expedition burnt down Vientiane kingdom to the roots, and all its inhabitants forced to leave to the right bank of the Mekong to be slave-farmers, not allowed to go back. Getting absolute control of the fertile soil of the Khorat Plateau (right bank, Isan today), Thai Siam needed more and more slaves to work in the rice fields in that land. So they started to hunt slaves whereelse, in the North, North East (Xieng Khouang Plateau) of Laos. It was at that time the peak of the slavery in the world (see the cotton fields slavery in the South States). Most of the Isan inhabitants today have their ancestors from the Vientiane kingdom, many of them, for ex. Phouane people or Phou Thay, from all over the places in Laos. Thais call them Thai Isan. But in the provinces North of Bangkok they still call themself Lao Vieng.
The Hoo Pha Keo Temple (Montpellier University source)
Restoration of That Luang, the symbol of the former Lan Xang Kingdom (Montpellier University source)
A ruined pagoda left alone in Xieng Khouang 19–05–1905 (Montpellier University source) after all inhabitants were taken away to populate the Khorat Plateau (Isan today).
Lao slaves-farmers somewhere in Isan (Thai source).
So, when Thai people get very angry and need to insult their interlocutor, they just say that he/she is Lao, and add some water buffalos in it. For Thais the status of Lao is not that higher than oxes, both have to work quietly in the rice fields, and that’s all.
3_ Chao Anou Vong: As a king’s child he had been held hostage in Bangkok with his two elder brothers. Growing up there he became warrior, and helped a Thai general in numerous battles, among them the capture back of Ayutthaya (this general became the king of Thais after that). As a man of merit he was released and sent back to rule in Vientiane. Being there after a while, he started his famous uprisings against his former Thai brother in arm. Knowing the might of the Thai army, having no army for himself, why he brought out the uprisings which led to the annihilation of his kingdom. He was betrayed, caught, kept with his family in a steel cage in front of the palace for 7 days (for the example). Tortured he died the 8-th day (Thai and English dyplomatic sources). The only reason he did it is that if he won’t do nothing, his people will all talk Thai Siam language (see Thaification - Wikipedia). Lao will vanish. So he sacrificed himself.
Lao people willingly welcomed French establishment, because they knew that, under France, someday they will be free, in the opposite to the Thai Siam (Montpellier University source).
4_Lao people today: Even though they can speak fluently the language, when they have to say a word in Thai, they always feel a little bit thorny in their heart. In my community among my friends and acquaintances, we respect the Thai people, treat them like some distant relatives. We invite them in the case of some events, and we always have good time together. But going out together for a beer, no, can’t do. In the opposite, we love to hang out with Isan guys, several of my friends even got married to Isan girls.
It’s a long comment but I hope it would help in the understanding, why are we so close and so far away at the same time.
P.S.: I am not pro-communist, since 1976 I am abroad. I know that well educated or having any relations with Laos, Thais treat us respectfully, polite and great. Like we always do against them.
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Mvh isan lover
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