Why do Thai people giggle when I tell them I'm about to go visit Isaan ?

[Baron Samedi]

Every time I tell a Thai person I'm planning to go visit a couple of cities in Isaan, they start to giggle.

Why do they do that? ????

Happened to me again today in my taxi back from the beach.

Told the guy I was headed to Hat Yai next, then Malaysia and then back to Thailand to visit Isaan.

He started to giggle... ????

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

It would be better to ask the person as to why they giggled , how would you expect other people to know why a certain person giggled about something ?

[Maha Sarakham]

A lot of people you meet in your journeys may originally be from Isaan.  The laugh is usually their way of being pleased you are visiting.

[Sparktrader]

He probably didnt understand you.

[Baron Samedi]

2 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

He probably didnt understand you.

He did. I gave him the name of the different cities, he asked me why Isaan, then he suggested Chiang Mai as he went there and liked it. Honestly, I think a lot of Thais might think Isaan is a shxthole and don't understand why anyone would want to spend time there. I might be wrong be each time that happened to me I had the feeling the message was "what the fxxx, man... lol"

39 minutes ago, Maha Sarakham said:

A lot of people you meet in your journeys may originally be from Isaan.  The laugh is usually their way of being pleased you are visiting.

The taxi driver was from Phuket. Born in the cape Panwa area.

 

39 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

It would be better to ask the person as to why they giggled , how would you expect other people to know why a certain person giggled about something ?

Fair point.

[Mac Mickmanus]

55 minutes ago, Baron Samedi said:

Told the guy I was headed to Hat Yai next, then Malaysia and then back to Thailand to visit Isaan.

He started to giggle..

Did your story start off with : *I first came to Thailand for a holiday and went to Pattaya for six weeks in 2006* and finish off with "I am going to visit my friend in Issan* ?

[CharlieH]

Isaan is a huge area, hardly suitable for one generalised comment unless you have travelled it extensively and can draw that opinion.

 

[Sparktrader]

5 minutes ago, Baron Samedi said:

He did. I gave him the name of the different cities, he asked me why Isaan, then he suggested Chiang Mai as he went there and liked it. Honestly, I think a lot of Thais might think Isaan is a shxthole and don't understand why anyone would want to spend time there. I might be wrong be each time that happened to me I had the feeling the message was "what the fxxx, man... lol"

The taxi driver was from Phuket. Born in the cape Panwa area.

 

Fair point.

Not many farangs there

Thais dont understand off the beaten path

[In the jungle]

Do you, by any chance, play the banjo?

[Mac Mickmanus]

7 minutes ago, Baron Samedi said:

He did. I gave him the name of the different cities, he asked me why Isaan, then he suggested Chiang Mai as he went there and liked it. Honestly, I think a lot of Thais might think Isaan is a shxthole and don't understand why anyone would want to spend time there. I might be wrong be each time that happened to me I had the feeling the message was "what the fxxx, man... lol"

The taxi driver was from Phuket. Born in the cape Panwa area.

 

Fair point.

Issan has a reputation for being undeveloped and primitive , rather like a tourist going to the USA and telling the taxi driver " I am going to the Mid West and staying in a trailer park for two weeks ,my friends got a lovely six wheeler that I bought for her and I will be staying with her* 

[NoDisplayName]

Perhaps it was your pronunciation?

[NickyLouie]

11 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Issan has a reputation for being undeveloped and primitive , rather like a tourist going to the USA and telling the taxi driver " I am going to the Mid West and staying in a trailer park for two weeks ,my friends got a lovely six wheeler that I bought for her and I will be staying with her* 

 

Guess you've never been to Issan, KK and Korat of some of the biggest cities in TH.

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 minute ago, NickyLouie said:

 

Guess you've never been to Issan, KK and Korat of some of the biggest cities in TH.

I didn't comment on the size 

[Lacessit]

Southern Thais think of Isaan much like New Yorkers think of hillbillies.

[OneMoreFarang]

34 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Isaan is a huge area, hardly suitable for one generalised comment unless you have travelled it extensively and can draw that opinion.

Many Thai people look down on the people from that area. Like: Why would you visit buffaloes?

[farmerjo]

Some area's are only going to get more popular with all the flooding going on.

Hopefully not to popular.

[Sparktrader]

17 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Southern Thais think of Isaan much like New Yorkers think of hillbillies.

Khon Kaen locals are more sophisticated than most southerners. The city is also cleaner. The south is mostly rubber, fishing and tourism so they are hardly advanced people.

[Sparktrader]

29 minutes ago, NickyLouie said:

 

Guess you've never been to Issan, KK and Korat of some of the biggest cities in TH.

Korat is very Thai.

[farmerjo]

10 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

Some area's are only going to get more popular with all the flooding going on.

Hopefully not to popular.

One of the national parks at the back of our place gets 70,000 bangkokians a year.

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, Sparktrader said:

Khon Kaen locals are more sophisticated than most southerners. The city is also cleaner. The south is mostly rubber, fishing and tourism so they are hardly advanced people.

I was referring to Bangkok when I said southern Thais.

Quite remarkable you can assess the level of sophistication of Khon Kaen locals. However,  I think you'll find Isaan is somewhat bigger than Khon Kaen.

[JimTripper]

It would be like visiting NYC in the USA and telling a cab driver you are going to visit Oklahoma or New Jersey, or some suburban area. ????

[1FinickyOne]

1 hour ago, Baron Samedi said:

The taxi driver was from Phuket.

there you have it. 

[1FinickyOne]

3 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

It would be like visiting NYC in the USA and telling a cab driver you are going to visit Oklahoma or New Jersey, or some suburban area. ????

Or Pakistan

[spidermike007]

Issan is wonderful. Alot of lovely people, amazing national parks, gorgeous women, and alot to see. Also, some major cities. Some people are just highly judgmental. Ignore the ignorance! 

[NickyLouie]

1 hour ago, 1FinickyOne said:

Or Pakistan

London?

[Mac Mickmanus]

38 minutes ago, NickyLouie said:

London?

What is that supposed to mean ?

Ethinc Pakistanis make up 2.7 % of Londons population 

[JeffersLos]

They giggle when you go there.

 

They laugh out loud when you come back minus your life savings. 

[bendejo]

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Southern Thais think of Isaan much like New Yorkers think of hillbillies.

Many native New Yorkers think the Mason-Dixon line is a mile south of Coney Island.

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by bendejo

[Hummin]

4 hours ago, NickyLouie said:

 

Guess you've never been to Issan, KK and Korat of some of the biggest cities in TH.

You forgot UdoooonThanii

 

Isaan is Redneck country where Carabao coming from! No wonder Taxi drivers laughing

[jerrymahoney]

There should be a Thailand version of this: