Future of ISSAN

[therapy]

Hi!...regarding "Drums and dancing": In England we say..."It is a poor workman (labourer) who blames his tools."
Yes I agree, people's personalities are the same all over the world.My gf, is sweet,funny and beautiful.She comes from a poor Isaan family. There is no pressure or greed re money...I am rich by her standards... a few thousand baht from me occasionally is nothing...so what!....her parents annual salary would only service my car!

Thanks to her and all the loving ,beautiful Thai ladies who have brought happiness to us old farang!

[Odysseus221]

Yes, so many problems with Isaan girls. That is why 6,000,000 tourists come to Thailand. Problems! They must all be forced to act like repressive Westerners and then we farangs will pack up and move to Cuba! We must find a way to control the social force of sex so they can all become Catholic girls who have sex at age 22 and marry rich lawyers; we can create a litigous society that demands social services for everyone just like America. That way the country will economically collapse in two generations just like America! In the end, the Isaan girls will be here but what about America? I think it will disappear in overregulated freedom. We need to force Thais to be free like us, to pay huge taxes, to pay for permits to do everything; we need to regulate everything and actually, they need to step up efforts by the local mafia to take over good paying businesses by extortion just like the US was in the 50's and 60's.

Isaan girls need more calories so they can be fat cows like American women; they need to repress their sexuality in favor of food, like Americans. Only then can they be considered happy, substituting clothing for love, food for love, with their own bedrooms, separate from people so they can develop all kinds of debilitating neurosis like their US counterparts searching for their counterparts in the life that simply evades everyone a nd is substituted by rigourous work, perhaps 60 hours, in search of success instead of a life--just like America.

The solution is more tax. Yes, just like America.

[spoon]

The solution is more tax. Yes, just like America.

The very epitome of fine judgement and well said indeed. It appears you have a wonderful grasp of where this once delightful nation is headed as in "all of the above". As my German friend once said to me way back when re:Issan girls and the good times they engender..."There is no problem in Bangkok or Thailand...the problem is with the rest of the world!"

Nobody wants the girls to have no other option of course, but if it works for them.......

[ladybrown]

Dear all,

After reading a few pages of this topic my heart just shattered. I got a heart breaking I need an ambulance!!!. Talking about Isaan people sometimes I just wonder when Thai people would treat their citizen as equal, when Thai wouldn’t class themselves as a second citizen in their own country (can you guess who our 1st ?). I once had been to the beach as the young lady alone some guesthouse there looking at me from the head to toes with insulted. I am traveler. I am from Isaan , my looks is Isaan. I got money to paid my room and money from every my sweat drops with respectable job. It’s even worst for Isaan would be treated like a third citizen in their own country. I am not mad or feel bad for being Isaan. I am proud for where I am from. What’s funniest that no one never looking at and always overlook at it. People just looking at who got money to build the highest building in Bangkok but anyone thinking about who is really building it? Asking, aren’t they from Isaan? That the poorest people and the product of your sick politics environment? And the product of the failure of your education system? Without them would you all have see that tallest building? The best rice in the world from Isaan. Rice that you all been eating everyday it’s also from Isaan’s sweat! Isaan will be no future if government or their own neighbor will just look down at them as a third citizen in their own country. Some even said would feel bad if someone tell them that they looks like Isaan,they will be piss off. What’s so wrong with our culture or our ancient to plant this seed in our head?
I just love the relax atmosphere when I am home at my outback village they are not lazy but self sufficiency ,but this had been ruined by one greedy politician(only) /someone not to be named and it’s the biggest destroy I ever seen. I just love the innocence and honest neighbors that we had exchange food also just giving without expect anything back in return from Isaan old day when I was young. They might be stupid but honest. They may poor but never poor at heart. They might be uneducated but at heart I believe they know something at some way that better than someone who called themselves ‘well educated’

[Inlovewiththai]

Dear Ladybrown,

I think that you have captured the essence of Thialand, that is missing in the big cities like Bangkok. I think that what you describe is an environment that many search for. I am a Farang, and I fell in love with someone from Issan, although they left there many years ago. I find this person to be very hardworking and his family to be very generous. I am from a small town in the United States, but have lived in the big cities of the US for years. I gave up something when I decided to live in the big city, and that was the goodness at heart of people who have a simpler life, may be poorer, but I think there is an honesty. It is the same here in Thailand I think!!!! I come from a group of people who many looked down upon in the early part of the 20th century. That has changed with the numbers.

I agree with you about how people talk about others, especially those from Issan. Even in their own country and about their own countryman. It is a shame, but the reality. It is the same in so many country. In my building, it is the same for some. My Thai family mostly from Issan, is successful in business, and the kids are so smart and go to a very good school. I hope that they do not forget their roots. Issan is a province that I would settle in if I did not have a partner here in Bangkok. I have traveled there and I really love the people. I say to you be proud of who you are, and let the others talk. It is their problem, not your's!!!

[Eddie2010]

I'm agree to that! It's just not only Isaan! But It's all over Thailand.

The problem for Issan people is the [b]LAO KHAO, the alcohol.

Have a look around. Is there any study about alcoholism in Issan or all about Thailand? My impression is they are the biggest alcoholics in the world.

When you want to give them a chance, teach them to stop alcohol!!!

Another case of corruption, the influence of the alcohol industry.

[jeffrey]

Dear all,

After reading a few pages of this topic my heart just shattered. I got a heart breaking I need an ambulance!!!. Talking about Isaan people sometimes I just wonder when Thai people would treat their citizen as equal, when Thai wouldn’t class themselves as a second citizen in their own country (can you guess who our 1st ?). I once had been to the beach as the young lady alone some guesthouse there looking at me from the head to toes with insulted. I am traveler. I am from Isaan , my looks is Isaan. I got money to paid my room and money from every my sweat drops with respectable job. It’s even worst for Isaan would be treated like a third citizen in their own country. I am not mad or feel bad for being Isaan. I am proud for where I am from. What’s funniest that no one never looking at and always overlook at it. People just looking at who got money to build the highest building in Bangkok but anyone thinking about who is really building it? Asking, aren’t they from Isaan? That the poorest people and the product of your sick politics environment? And the product of the failure of your education system? Without them would you all have see that tallest building? The best rice in the world from Isaan. Rice that you all been eating everyday it’s also from Isaan’s sweat! Isaan will be no future if government or their own neighbor will just look down at them as a third citizen in their own country. Some even said would feel bad if someone tell them that they looks like Isaan,they will be piss off. What’s so wrong with our culture or our ancient to plant this seed in our head?
I just love the relax atmosphere when I am home at my outback village they are not lazy but self sufficiency ,but this had been ruined by one greedy politician(only) /someone not to be named and it’s the biggest destroy I ever seen. I just love the innocence and honest neighbors that we had exchange food also just giving without expect anything back in return from Isaan old day when I was young. They might be stupid but honest. They may poor but never poor at heart. They might be uneducated but at heart I believe they know something at some way that better than someone who called themselves ‘well educated’

Alas, Ladybrown - the only decent post within this thread. As a rule, such simple observations manifest from a higher connective tissues.

[prommee_NE]

Isaan is roughly the size of the UK...surprised at the size? Look for industrialisation and you will find little...the majority is small villages practising self-suffiency...ie enough food for yourself and sell the surplus. This was okay in the days of old, but the land cannot support the expanding population...many have to find work in BKK or the surrounding industrialised areas there. Why is it that no government has ever tried to industrialise the area? Not enough quick return for doing so? Why are the basic communication routes (roads, railways, canals) so bad...not enough quick return? Industrialisation is around the main easy access to ports for export and the money is with people more interested in making a quick dollar than it is with people thinking about the Country.

The reason why people are on the Lao Khao in most areas outside of the BKK and tourist areas is because they have nowhere to work...nothing to do and feel helpless. I have seen people coming back to a village in Isaan between jobs who look around and find nothing constructive to do...they turn to the drink in their helplessness. I just looked at the average wage figure in the BP today and had a laugh...You will be lucky to average 1000 Baht a month for the year in the village as a typical farmer in one crop areas in the NE...and there are a lot of one crop areas.

[authai]

I am astounded at the amount of Isaan-bashing going on in this comments.

The fact is that many poor people are second-class citizens in Thailand. Many other groups of Thai people are even worse off than those of Isaan - take the majority of hill-tribes in the North, many of whom have been in Thailand for generations - the government doesn't allow them to get Thai citizenship or ID cards - making it impossible for them, their children, their grandchildren to ever go to a Thai school, ever get decent treatment in a Thai hospital.

Another case is the Mani people in the south (also know as Ngoc or Sakai) whom are Negritos whom have lived in Thailand for thousands of years - despised by many thais for centuries (mostly due to the fact they appear similar to Africans) - this race of Thai people also do not have citizenship or ID cards.

Yet, I digress, back to the topic of Isaan:
The people of Isaan are some of the most down-to-earth and hardworking people I have ever met. So many comments made here talk about alcoholism - I wonder whether too many of you are believing the stereotypes that the elitists in Bangkok want you to.

I agree with the comments of the starter of this forum - my parents from Khon Kaen borrowed money to send me to an international school so that I could get a quality education - I then managed to get a scholarship to study university in Australia and now work in Australia - and support my parents who sacrificed so much to support me. The problem at many government schools is that English teachers can't speak English, and the best teachers don't want to work in country schools. Foreign teachers are required to teach English - or at least Thai teachers who can speak it.

The problem is that the current government cannot manage money and foreign teachers for government schools will be to costly - perhaps offering 'secondments' for foreigners studying eduction/teaching in their home countries to give them experience. Also the current government does not care for the working class - only for the bangkok elite.

[binhduong]

I don't know why anyone would want to change Isaan. It is one of a very few places that I can feel safe, relax, happy, and Real in Thailand. The culture, the people, the attitude, the community... are all so lovely. The majority of them are poor but they are more happy and have less stress than people live in other areas of Thailand. Isaan is the real Thailand. They go to work all day in the field then they all get together for dinner on the floor, laughing, joking, talking to each other at night while people in Bangkok usually don't have time to eat dinner together. Isaan people drive, walk, take their time going places while people in Bangkok rushing everywhere and spend a big part of their life stucked in traffic. Isaan people breath fresh air everyday. They got to see the sun rise and set, they got to enjoy the green scenery around them while people in Bangkok breath exhaust from cars and bikes and cussing at each otherg in traffic.... There are so many things great about Isaan and its people, without them Thailand maybe much more advance and rich like Japan, South Korea... but then if that is the case then your Farang wouldn't be able to afford to come here to live or vacation any more. Isaan maybe lacking many things but never lacking love and a friendliest smile.

Poor and under educated is not exactly a bad thing. I have seen so many so call rich and highly educated people live such a lonely and stressful life. Why do farangs come to live here if their countries is so modern, advance, and wonderful. The Kingdom of Bhutan is one of the least modern country in the world and yet they ranked pretty high on the list of the most happy country in the world.

Isaan is located in the part of Thailand that is lacking many thing that would help it economy. It doesn't have cool weather like Changmai, doesn't have floating market like Bangkok, beautiful beach like Phuket,.... so the Farangs don't go to Isaan. Its land is poor and not suitable for many crops. It is not near ocean and don't have deep navigational river to support river and ocean transportation so companies don't build factories there.... There are many things work against Isaan for thousand of years and yet its people manage to survice and manage to retain a wonderful culture, attitude, and community.

Nothing is bad about being poor or under educated. As long as the people are happy and live an honest life.