Isaan Characters On Television

[chownah]

When watching television I often see Isaan looking people (dark skin) who are portraying servants (usually) and they talk sort of slow and twangy and they get a bit bug eyed sometimes and they are clearly sort of .....well.....stupid. I'm talking about the character they are portraying, not themselves as humans so please hold off on the flame machine.

Anyway it sometimes REALLY reminds me of early American television (e.g. The Amos and Andy Show) or old American movies.

Do other people get this impression?

[Popeyethesailorman]

yeah, that always bugged me about Thai TV. The only difference is when the Isaan servants get scared, their hair doesn't stick straight up and their eyes don't bug out. All kidding aside, I wonder how many rich Thai familys have Isaan people for servants.

[Ikky Plush]

yeah, that always bugged me about Thai TV. The only difference is when the Isaan servants get scared, their hair doesn't stick straight up and their eyes don't bug out. All kidding aside, I wonder how many rich Thai familys have Isaan people for servants.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've been told by Isaan people that they're no longer happy working as maids - they would rather work in factories. Most maids now come from other countries bordering Thailand.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

yeah, that always bugged me about Thai TV. The only difference is when the Isaan servants get scared, their hair doesn't stick straight up and their eyes don't bug out. All kidding aside, I wonder how many rich Thai familys have Isaan people for servants.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've been told by Isaan people that they're no longer happy working as maids - they would rather work in factories. Most maids now come from other countries bordering Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Who has ever been happy to work as a maid?

[BaanOz]

Those Thai comedies are a laugh too.

Thai's "take the piss" outta all sorts ...the old Isaan farmer women bent over in their sarongs, holding their basket of goodies, their red mouth and accent.

My mother-in-law is from Isaan and we/they have a great 'ol laugh watching the comedy.

Same with dwarf/mentally disabled too. Imagine the uproar in Oz if that stuff was shown. Different culture - can laugh at themselves.

BO

[maerim]

Imagine the uproar in Oz if that stuff was shown. Different culture - can laugh at themselves.

Ah Australia, cultural home of television ecellence.

Nieghbours, Home and away and many more that keep the blue rinse brigade glued to the box.

Might be a bit better now but years ago there were only four actors in Oz and Vincent Ball was one of them.

[Tornado]

Imagine the uproar in Oz if that stuff was shown. Different culture - can laugh at themselves.

Ah Australia, cultural home of television ecellence.

Nieghbours, Home and away and many more that keep the blue rinse brigade glued to the box.

Might be a bit better now but years ago there were only four actors in Oz and Vincent Ball was one of them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

true!

But the Aussies dont watch those shows (except for Bronco), they are packaged and sent to Britain - I suppose those poms have got nothing else to do, as its either raining, snowing, cold or their sports teams have let them down.

Another point is, Neighbours is totally ficticious and Coronation street and eastenders (a staple of English entertainment ) is pretty close to how the poms live.... sad

wheres my gun?

[Tornado]

Back on topic.

I used to like that show "summer" on Thai tv a couple of years ago. Annie was a stunner and her Isaan mother was hilarious.

[BaanOz]

Imagine the uproar in Oz if that stuff was shown. Different culture - can laugh at themselves.

Ah Australia, cultural home of television ecellence.

Nieghbours, Home and away and many more that keep the blue rinse brigade glued to the box.

Might be a bit better now but years ago there were only four actors in Oz and Vincent Ball was one of them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Maerim,

No. Still the same, only a couple more ...Ray Barrett, Bud Tingwell, John Meillon, Ed Devereaux and Vincent Ball are making apperances in Home and Away. Skippy too.

BaanOz

[mnoorsapl]

It's the Black and White minstral show. Just Enjoy yourself. if not turn on to other channel

[chownah]

Now that I know that others have noticed the similarity between the depiction of Isaan people and the '50s depiction of blacks in the US....I'm wondering if Thai television has copied the early US style for blacks or have them come with it by themselves and the underlying image is some kind of psychological archetype that has emerged from two very different cultures.

[Thomas_Merton]

Now that I know that others have noticed the similarity between the depiction of Isaan people and the '50s depiction of blacks in the US....I'm wondering if Thai television has copied the early US style for blacks or have them come with it by themselves and the underlying image is some kind of psychological archetype that has emerged from two very different cultures.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps a little examination of the history of slavery in the USA contra the history of slavery in Thailand, might provide some answers.

This is not an offer, just a suggestion.

[Heng]

When watching television I often see Isaan looking people (dark skin) who are portraying servants (usually) and they talk sort of slow and twangy and they get a bit bug eyed sometimes and they are clearly sort of .....well.....stupid.  I'm talking about the character they are portraying, not themselves as humans so please hold off on the flame machine.

Anyway it sometimes REALLY reminds me of early American television (e.g. The Amos and Andy Show) or old American movies.

Do other people get this impression?

There's also the quite common old Chinese shopkeeper character and dirty old guy character. Hardly some kind of anti-Chinese sentiment... especially considering that the own all the stations.

My cousin still has an Issan maid, but she's been working for them for 20+ years now. Ours (the current one anyway) is from Laos. Rare to find an Issan maid nowadays.

[Siam_superfly]

Thai soaps..... a face slapping every 2 minutes !!

[Neeranam]

The only difference is when the Isaan servants get scared, their hair doesn't stick straight up and their eyes don't bug out.

In some of the programs this does happen.

It's the Black and White minstral show. Just Enjoy yourself. if not turn on to other channel

I agree. I watch them sometimes, and they are better than watching the some of the crap US series.

What many farangs in Bangkok don't realise is that Isarn is like a different country to Thailand. Different culture/language/people.

Much better in my opinion.

[chownah]

Now that I know that others have noticed the similarity between the depiction of Isaan people and the '50s depiction of blacks in the US....I'm wondering if Thai television has copied the early US style for blacks or have them come with it by themselves and the underlying image is some kind of psychological archetype that has emerged from two very different cultures.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps a little examination of the history of slavery in the USA contra the history of slavery in Thailand, might provide some answers.

This is not an offer, just a suggestion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I googled for some history of slavery in Thailand and could only find that it was ended by Rama V and one mention of it in a travel log from the 1800's. Do you have a/some link/s.

[Thomas_Merton]

Now that I know that others have noticed the similarity between the depiction of Isaan people and the '50s depiction of blacks in the US....I'm wondering if Thai television has copied the early US style for blacks or have them come with it by themselves and the underlying image is some kind of psychological archetype that has emerged from two very different cultures.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps a little examination of the history of slavery in the USA contra the history of slavery in Thailand, might provide some answers.

This is not an offer, just a suggestion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I googled for some history of slavery in Thailand and could only find that it was ended by Rama V and one mention of it in a travel log from the 1800's. Do you have a/some link/s.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is a grey area of Thai history, where possibly the limitations of Google and the English language are reached.**

It does not take a great deal of imagination to appreciate that discussion of this subject on TV could become a very sensitive issue.

However there are fundamental questions that need to be addressed (in another place). Amongst them are:

1. “Slavery” needs to be defined.

2. Who were the masters and who were the slaves?

3. HM Rama V started the emancipation – when did it finish?

4. (Controversially) Has slavery really ended?

**see http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=34818 for some good suggestions.

Edited May 22, 2005 by Thomas_Merton

[chownah]

Now that I know that others have noticed the similarity between the depiction of Isaan people and the '50s depiction of blacks in the US....I'm wondering if Thai television has copied the early US style for blacks or have them come with it by themselves and the underlying image is some kind of psychological archetype that has emerged from two very different cultures.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps a little examination of the history of slavery in the USA contra the history of slavery in Thailand, might provide some answers.

This is not an offer, just a suggestion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I googled for some history of slavery in Thailand and could only find that it was ended by Rama V and one mention of it in a travel log from the 1800's. Do you have a/some link/s.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is a grey area of Thai history, where possibly the limitations of Google and the English language are reached.**

It does not take a great deal of imagination to appreciate that discussion of this subject on TV could become a very sensitive issue.

However there are fundamental questions that need to be addressed (in another place). Amongst them are:

1. “Slavery” needs to be defined.

2. Who were the masters and who were the slaves?

3. HM Rama V started the emancipation – when did it finish?

4. (Controversially) Has slavery really ended?

**see http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=34818 for some good suggestions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll keep my eyes open for books but would still like to find something on the web. If you run across anything let me know.