what do you think?

Laos then would be strong enough not to get colonized in the first place.

We would still be in Laos.

Where would I be?

I'd live in a poor farming village, planting rice, taking care of my 10 kids, with 3 missing tooth, and that all it would matter. If my family was a bit rich, I might've been send to go to Thailand for a college education.

Initial, Issan would still be ours and Laos would have a population around 20-30 million. I think Issan have a population around 20-25 million, combine that with around 5 million people in Laos. If Laos had the Northeastern back, our country would have been bigger than Siam.

Zelnom, the problem with Laos is UNITY. It was Lao people that sold out each other out. That's why we lost to Siam. The Northern Kingdom sold out the Southern Kingdom. If it wasn't for this, Laos would have destroyed Siam. Did you know it was Khon Lao that defeated the Burmese for Siam when the Burmese destoryed Ayutthaya? Yes, it was the great Chao Anouvong and the Lao people that fought under Siam that finally kicked the Burmese @$$. Before that, Siam would always get their @$$ kick by the Burmese.

Laos maybe backward and poor, but we are comfortable with who we are. We don't have to become "Westernized" to fool people that we are making progress. We don't have to create a race of "Half-Breeds" to represent Lao beauty. I could go on and on, but I think you get my point.

That's referring to Thailand right?

Zelnom, I plead the 5th.

Well, about one-third of thai population is Issan.

If any plitical party get all the votes from Issan people, that party become the biggest majority. So ???

Think about it.

damn, thats weak

It seem lke
My view on Isan people are
,they don't love to their homeland ,as u seen many Thai Isan abroad.
they rely on other to much. When they have problem they always blame on
They respect on whoever have money or power ,they not care on those people are bad or good. (That is where our corupt goverment from) Many of Isanese vote for those who giv em money


On topic: It seem lke Thai always responsible in whatever go wrong in Lao. Even Siam didn't defeat Lao Viet or Khmer may do. Bear in mind that if Lao was stronger than ,Lao wouldn't be defeated. If Lao is unity ,it would not happen. If Lao love ur homeland than this it would not happen. That all

this is like 15 million people we're talking about, i dont know how so many people could turn their backs on their homeland

the kids are born on thailand soil now thats how

Why are there 25 million Laotians in Issan whilst only 5 million in Laos?

It might have been better if Lan Xang was completely defeated by Siam and annexed the way Lan Na was. Laos, as it is, is in a tough position with no real access to the ocean other than the Mekong River. It's stuck in mountainous terrain. Not saying it's impossible, but it would have had it much easier unified. This whole nationalism thing got hyped up by a bunch of politicians and the nobility in the hopes that they could keep or gain power. Everyone else suffered. Lao and Thai not that much difference. The difference you notice are illusions created by nationalism.

^we would be economically better but then again, the Lan Xang people wouldn't be treated equally

LAos will conquar the world and ,every one have to speak Laos instead. And Stcky rice will be come the important resource instead of oil

Getting treated equally is an illusion. Lao people never treated each other equally in the first place. The more aristocratic north always had a superiority complex, but at any rate it doesn't matter. In the long run if a country is in good shape economically, then everything is alright. You think people in the US would treat each other equally if they weren't so comfortably rich? Life is rougher when you're poor. It is a lot easier to hate when your stomach is empty.

Anyway, the concept of a country is newer than you think. People used to be whatever their King or Emperor was. If you've gone thru high school in the US then you've probably studied what's called nationalism in your history class if you didn't skip it. People of similar languages, and/or cultures and history started banding together to form countries. Italy had much bigger differences than the combined states of what is now Laos and Thailand. That didn't stop them from forming 1 country. The same goes for Germany. It wouldn't matter in the long run.

Besides, you think every Lao person was Lao from the beginning? A lot of us were different types of people ranging from Chinese, Vietnamese, Mon, Khmer, Hmong, Mien to tribes of every different sort. If some Asian person came off the streets in LA speaking Lao to you, and they practiced all the Lao customs, then you'd automatically think they were Lao. You should know this cuz you've probably seen Lao peeps who look Chinese, Vietnamese or look Khmer, or some other types. It's nationalism. A nationality doesn't define the people, the people define the nationality.

Actually, the northeast region in Thailand is one of the poorest in all of Thailand. Yet, it have the largest population of Lao descendent. Why hasn't Thailand done much to improve those areas?

We are actually working hard on that region.
There are lots of government projects helping Issan people to get out of poverty.
People living standards have been improved.
Issan people are working hard ,smart and honest like every other thais.
With the King 's new theory (sufficient economy). There will be less people migrating from their homeland to Bangkok after harvesting season.

There are a lot to be done. And we are doing it. There is no such thing as overnight success.

Please don't flame me, but honestly I think that if it wasn't Siam it would have been someone else.

Exactly. Thailand goes thru what every developing country goes thru. Obviously Isaan has quite a few problems. Being in an environmentally unstable area is one of them. It seems to alternate itself between droughts and floods. The soil condition doesn't seem to be that great either. Things take time because a developing country doesn't have unlimited resources. By the way, for politicians 20 million people, with a proportionate amount of voters in Isaan is a great source of political capital. There's a political incentive to get things right in Isaan.

I honestly think the south of Thailand has a greater problem right now with that separatist movement among the Malay muslims. Probably has more to do with percieved notions of inequality. Thaksin's seemingly corrupt governance isn't helping either. We'll see if he survives with the growing numbers of people disenchanted with his rule. I hope the rule of law stands, tho. I don't like corrupt government but I don't like mob rule even less. Hopefully Thailand doesn't turn into the Phillippines where protestors regularly overthrow governments.

The challange of develop Isan is the area the worst geographic in Thai

No access to sea and Draugh

It is d same reason why is hard to develop Australian out back or Xinjiang.

At the Mae Fah Leung shop in Bangkok, there are hand loomed fabric from Thailand's hill tribes people made in modern designs in a very unique style. The fashion world is looking at the way fabrics are being draped, pleated and embroidered by Thailand's ethnic peoples.

There's no need to be flashy and trashy in the development of rural economics. Let the central thais take all the congestion, pollution and copy designs.. i say. :P

[quote=AnAttA,Feb 4 2006, 11:36 PM]
We are actually working hard on that region.

There are a lot to be done. And we are doing it. There is no such thing as overnight success.

It has been for more than 180 years and Isan people still considered as Thai's slave, no more - nice Thai slave. Isan people have enough discrimination from Thai dark assss…. Now only one thing left - be independent and form a new Lan Xang state as 180 year ago, we'll be strong more than ever. The fight just begun!!!

Holy Shirt! LOL

If a Lao King, run for PM, and win the Issan Vote, Then Laos can take over Thailand from the Inside.... Brilliant!!!!

hahaha pretty clever.

Nah Man. Imma be real and say this, some Issan are punks. Did you know one of the Generals that order to burn down Vientiane was actually Issan(I forgot his name). To me, some of them Issan in high positions are just like some African Americans in high places. They look down on their own people and $hit.

burn down vientiane? when was this? when did they become isan people and when did they burn down vientiane, exact dates please =)

General Sarit Thanarat was the most powerful and corrupted PM.
He was the first and only PM that was born in Issan.

Believe it or not many thais sill admire him because of his tough on crime policy. Thaksin is his reincarnated.

Laos? There was no country named Laos a 100 years ago, only the kingdom of Lan Xang, and Lan Xang didn't even have unity. It was splitted into three separate kingdoms: Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Champasack. Even the concept of "nationhood"didn't exist for most countries in Asia back then. It could have gone several possible ways, it might have conquered Siam and Cambodia and perhaps be one of the most powerful countries in Asia, but who knows; unfortunately you can't really go back and rectify the past. But now we have a country named Laos and Laos needs a lot of help from skillful people around the world who have the means to help build up Laos. First Laos needs to free itself from the trap of Vietnam militarally. If people of Laos have access to good education and help from educated Lao people abroad, Laos has a lot potential. I mean, take Isreal for example. Even though Isreal is a small country with a population a tad over Laos it is pretty well-off economically and otherwise compared to its neighbors. They have a lot of its own people abroad that are helping and supporting them. These people are educated and education always brings you up higher economically.

I'm not surprised some Khon Lao are Thai d!ck riders. Lao people have a history of selling each other out. Remember Jao Noy Muang Puan of Xieng Khuang? And what are you talking about being completely defeated by Siam? Siam did defeated all of Laos. It was only the French that intervened that's why Laos is still standing. Unfortunately, as a result, Laos lost Issan to the Thais. But atleast we didn't lose all of our country to them. If Laos was just another Thai state, the hundreds of thousands of Khon Lao wouldn't have the chance to come the United States and other Western countries to enjoy all the benefits that we enjoy now.

Nationalism or not, what the Thais did to my people I can not accept. I don't need no Thai or a Thai sympathizer telling me to forget history. It's like the Japanese telling the Chinese they should forget about WWII and the Nanjing masscare because it's in the past.

everybody sells eachother out not just Laotians.....who knows....without the wars and all that Laos would probably be doing as good as vietnam.

It changed alilttle bit but people in Bangkok like to keep everything in Bangkok so none else can growth. In others area such as the south there are tourism that brings in wealth but in Isaan region there are not much to see, just only rice fields and temple mostly. My sister lives in Hua Hin, everytimes I visited her I see more Farangs than Thai people.

THe Sky highway in Bangkok is really nice

Yeah, the sky highway is very nice indeed.

If anyone wants to know what really happened during the war of 1827(chao anou's war for independece) from a point of view other than Thai. Check out "Paths to Conflagration, fifty years of diplomacy and warfare in Laos, thailand, and vietnam, 1778-1828" by Mayoury Ngaosyvathn and Pheuiphanh Ngaosyvathn.It talks about all the events leading up to war. Also interesting facts about how Chao Anou and his brother Chao Nanthasean where the one's who fought off the Burmanese and Viets beacause the Thai general's prove too ineffective. Check it out-I'm sure it will reshape your thoughs on Lao history.

I been saying that all along. It was us Khon Lao who drove the Burmese out for the Thais. If Laos was united in the first place, the Thais wouldn't have taken advantage of us. Remember it was the Ai Lao people who came down and conquered most of South East Asia. We defeated the Chinese, Viets, and Khmers in battles. The Ai Lao of Nanchao fought and took lands from the Chinese. The Ai Lao fought and defeated the Vietnamese. The Ai Lao fought and took land from the Khmers. The reason why Laos is the way it is today is because internal conficts and beefs within our race. That's why other people, like the Thais were able to take advantage of us.

ain't that the f!ckn truth, pimp

ai lao defeated the chinese, viets and khmer?

i know where WE wouldn't be -america.

what the fu-ked happened to ai lao now?

stand tall and be proud.

Many of them working as a labour and cab driver in Bangkok.

[quote name='AnAttA' date='Mar 14 2006, 10:49 AM' post='1645182']
General Sarit Thanarat was the most powerful and corrupted PM.
He was the first and only PM that was born in Issan.

Believe it or not many thais sill admire him because of his tough on crime policy. Thaksin is his reincarnated.

how about chaovarit junjaiyut why they force him out of p.m position. ain't because he have laotian descended same goes to general sarit thanarat too. lao people need to know that there people that still fight and try to get issan back like puk issan ku sat still fighting now aday. thien sirikan is another person that every lao issan need to admire.

REALLY! I'm very surprise to hear this....and what exactly are they fighting for?????

Their fighting for birth rights-which is to be treated like human beings.Its been almost 200 yrs now since isan became part of thailand.You would think that after all those years the attitude of the thais have toward the lao would change.Since Thailand is also a buddhist nation, i sure they can comprehend the concept of Karma.With all the turmoil going on in the deep south-how long before isan revolt?Just food for thoughs.

This lost of isan in 1907 was a big blow to the lao because we lost a big chuck of our population(ethnic lao). Now since the french brought in lots of viets to populate and work in laos.This cause a state within a state to happen in laos.Then since the minorities never really was in within the lao sphere of influence at the time. Unity was a problem hard to solve and the communist use this to their advantage.

555555555555555555 I am a lao and I agree with you . I think its very funny how you said it but its the truth. Lao holds a grude on Thailand. If I don't become successful I will blame it on Thailand for taking part of lanxang and me being migrated to the US . The civil war of laos wouldn't have never happen if its not for the breaking of lanxang in the 1700s.

5555555555555 Thats right and funny !



Taksin has lao blood cause he is from Chieng mai. Thats probably why he got the big boot out of office from Thailand. Just like many other lao leaders in Thailand before.

This is the funniest thing I've ever read.

Oh Horaja, you never cease to amaze me.

lol damn raja, could you atleast back it up with some links or something? wheres your scholarly info?

1.We were shame because we became vassals of Siam.
2.We were shame again because it took a foriegn power like France to win back our freedom.
Now don't shame yourself for thinking Laos would be better off as a province of Thailand.

Bassak, you forgot to mention another thing. We were ashame because Chao Noy Muang Puan sold us out. Our own people...that's a big torn that we will never forget...