Can Isaan People Think?

[Squigy]

As the days go by here in the little Isaan village where I have temporarily put up for the last few years, I have been trying to understand the people who live here and work

out if they can really 'think'.

I spend a lot of time in the village and surrounding villages researching if the locals in one village have a intellectual capacity greater than the lot in the other. So far my findings are that they are all much the same, however you do have a few black sheep who can think past the next hour and one woman who manages to think to the week ahead. But that's as far as it goes.

I was wondering if other forum members have come across this and would be of interest how they managed to get these people thinking if at all?

Cheers

[sirineou]

Wow!! Me thinks there was not a lot of thinking involved in the above OP

[elwood]

Wow!! Me thinks there was not a lot of thinking involved in the above OP

Maybe all the villagers are thinking just what on earth this fool is doing going around villages analysing people in order to make idiotic comments on a forum?

[msg362]

Come on folks, It's difficult to get many Thais to think very far ahead, just look at the planning to avoid the floods! ( what planning?)

Not all Thais of course, but the further from a city you are the shorter the 'thinking ahead' seems to be. I may be wrong.

[Jingthing]

Feudalistic society.

[sirineou]

Come on folks, It's difficult to get many Thais to think very far ahead, just look at the planning to avoid the floods! ( what planning?)

Not all Thais of course, but the further from a city you are the shorter the 'thinking ahead' seems to be. I may be wrong.

As opposed to western planing for the future. Budget deficits, Pollution, drugs,family unit disintegration, wars. etc.

Thai people, in the aggregate, for the most part, think in a way that is beneficial to them, given their cultural constrains. To do otherwise would be eccentric,in the same way that it would be eccentric for westerners to live and behave like Thai people, while having grown up and living in the UK.

Maybe we all have something to learn about forward thinking.

Edited December 10, 2011 by sirineou

[Thaddeus]

My observations completely destroy Rupert Sheldrake's theory of morphic resonance.

[cardholder]

My observations completely destroy Rupert Sheldrake's theory of morphic resonance.

I'm not so sure ... Sheldrake has clearly abandoned conventional science in favor of magical thinking and this puts him right on track to understand Thai ways.. The answer could lie in morphogenetic fields.

[Lickey]

It was about 2 years ago, the neighbours were having a party, i asked mrs, is it his birthday? she said no, his friend win Lotto and they have party, a little later i ask mrs how much he win? she told me 1000bht, but it cost him 4000bht for bet, now where is the logic in that??? we planted 9 rai of cassavva, ok, they got a bug, and at the same time the wonderful US dollar dropped down, so 33,000 bht to start the cassava and the return was 15,500 bht, mrs thought this was marvellous?

So if anyone has a book in Thai, something like forward planing or Logic, i would be most interested to show my Mrs..,.

[cardholder]

It was about 2 years ago, the neighbours were having a party, i asked mrs, is it his birthday? she said no, his friend win Lotto and they have party, a little later i ask mrs how much he win? she told me 1000bht, but it cost him 4000bht for bet, now where is the logic in that??? we planted 9 rai of cassavva, ok, they got a bug, and at the same time the wonderful US dollar dropped down, so 33,000 bht to start the cassava and the return was 15,500 bht, mrs thought this was marvellous?

So if anyone has a book in Thai, something like forward planing or Logic, i would be most interested to show my Mrs..,.

Oh Lickey! - you are taking it to a higher plane - "Thai economics" best encapsulated by Blackadder:-

Blackadder: Right Baldrick, let's try again shall we? This is called adding. If I have two beans, and then I add two more beans, what do I have?

Baldrick: Some beans.

Blackadder: Yes... and no. Let's try again shall we? I have two beans, then I add two more beans. What does that make?

Baldrick: A very small casserole.

Blackadder: Baldrick, the ape creatures of the Indus have mastered this. Now try again. One, two, three, four. So how many are there?

Baldrick: Three.

Blackadder: What?

Baldrick: ...and that one.

Blackadder: Three and that one. So if I add that one to the three what will I have?

Baldrick: Oh. Some beans.

Blackadder: Yes. To you Baldrick, the Renaissance was just something that happened to other people, wasn't it?

[endure]

I know a guy from an Isaan village who thought his way to a PhD from a major UK university. He now teaches material science at Khon Kaen University. I know another guy from Isaan who thought his way to a PhD in the US followed by a job at NASA. He now teaches at Suranaree University of Technology in Korat.

[sirineou]

I know a guy from an Isaan village who thought his way to a PhD from a major UK university. He now teaches material science at Khon Kaen University. I know another guy from Isaan who thought his way to a PhD in the US followed by a job at NASA. He now teaches at Suranaree University of Technology in Korat.

My wife thought her self all the way to the US, thought her self to a Green card and is now working on becoming a US citizen,Thought her self though owning her own business in the US, and property in Thailand.

I have never saved as much money in my whole life as since when I meet her, all due to her thinking.I wish I had met her twenty years ago, maybe she could have saved my from my forward western thinking.

[SimonD]

As my missus would say:

"Falang have thinking too mutt."

[thrilled]

Ya tend to forget,this country is just A little slow in some ways.Be patient they'll get better.If your not happy in A village,move.No one is forcing ya to live there.

[bkkjames]

I thought therefore I was.

[mario299]

I know a guy from an Isaan village who thought his way to a PhD from a major UK university. He now teaches material science at Khon Kaen University. I know another guy from Isaan who thought his way to a PhD in the US followed by a job at NASA. He now teaches at Suranaree University of Technology in Korat.

My wife thought her self all the way to the US, thought her self to a Green card and is now working on becoming a US citizen,Thought her self though owning her own business in the US, and property in Thailand.

I have never saved as much money in my whole life as since when I meet her, all due to her thinking.I wish I had met her twenty years ago, maybe she could have saved my from my forward western thinking.

Best Post so far!!

PLUS ++

[mca]

As the days go by here in the little Isaan village where I have temporarily put up for the last few years, I have been trying to understand the people who live here and work

out if they can really 'think'.

I spend a lot of time in the village and surrounding villages researching if the locals in one village have a intellectual capacity greater than the lot in the other. So far my findings are that they are all much the same, however you do have a few black sheep who can think past the next hour and one woman who manages to think to the week ahead. But that's as far as it goes.

I was wondering if other forum members have come across this and would be of interest how they managed to get these people thinking if at all?

Cheers

To be sure there's a fair few dunderheads around. But I've found that to be true for every single area of Thailand I've visited. But to cast a net over all Isaan folks just doesn't cut it (not referring to to you OP.)Quite a few posters on this forum who like to knock the Issanites most probably havean actual experience of Isaan commensurate with my experience of Kazakhstan pig farming. I personally know 2 Isaan business families whose assets make me and every other person on this forum look like paupers and my surgeon and specialist ( 2 blokes I admire greatly ) are both "Children of sticky rice" along with countless others successfully making their way through life.

All of which would seem to indicate some ability at "thought'

[cdmtdm]

As the days go by here in the little Isaan village where I have temporarily put up for the last few years, I have been trying to understand the people who live here and work

out if they can really 'think'.

I spend a lot of time in the village and surrounding villages researching if the locals in one village have a intellectual capacity greater than the lot in the other. So far my findings are that they are all much the same, however you do have a few black sheep who can think past the next hour and one woman who manages to think to the week ahead. But that's as far as it goes.

I was wondering if other forum members have come across this and would be of interest how they managed to get these people thinking if at all?

Cheers

To be sure there's a fair few dunderheads around. But I've found that to be true for every single area of Thailand I've visited. But to cast a net over all Isaan folks just doesn't cut it (not referring to to you OP.)Quite a few posters on this forum who like to knock the Issanites most probably havean actual experience of Isaan commensurate with my experience of Kazakhstan pig farming. I personally know 2 Isaan business families whose assets make me and every other person on this forum look like paupers and my surgeon and specialist ( 2 blokes I admire greatly ) are both "Children of sticky rice" along with countless others successfully making their way through life.

All of which would seem to indicate some ability at "thought'

great post !! isaan is no different to many parts of the world ... travel through the USA it is an eye opener ...

[Jezz]

When I read the OP’s opening salvo last night (Thai time) I thought about replying. Then I thought I’d put the OP’s question to my missus. She thought for a moment before replying, “I think that man not think too much before saying what he think.” So I thought I’d wait until this morning to see what other members thought. And I think what I thought at the outset still stands. Isaan has many successful people who think and thought their way through life. I think most Isaan folk make good thinkers – even the dear old ladies who sit for hours outside their homes and think, “Ah! Here comes falang again. I think I’ll say ‘Good morning’ and smile at him.” Then I think how many villagers always think about taking care if somebody has a problem. I also think about the educated Isaan monk at the local temple who has promised us he’ll help with legal issues required in both English and Thai language in the event of my demise. I think that’s a nice thought as I’m getting on a bit – I think.

[kurnell]

What is the Thai word for 'plan' and where was it derived from?

[Thaddeus]

I know a guy from an Isaan village who thought his way to a PhD from a major UK university. He now teaches material science at Khon Kaen University. I know another guy from Isaan who thought his way to a PhD in the US followed by a job at NASA. He now teaches at Suranaree University of Technology in Korat.

My wife thought her self all the way to the US, thought her self to a Green card and is now working on becoming a US citizen,Thought her self though owning her own business in the US, and property in Thailand.

And that prompts the question, how much of getting out of Thailand had an effect.

The educational system promotes non-thinking and a non-questioning attitude, yes there are some smart people here, but are they allowed to shine?

[isanbirder]

Yes, there are a lot of smart people around, but as the saying goes, "One swallow does not make a summer." Most of the villagers think only for today because they don't have much to look forward to tomorrow. Well, they look ahead to the next part of the annual farming cycle perhaps.

[Fookhaht]

Several of my Isaan students have won national championships over the tops of elite Bangkok universities such as Chula and Thammasart. Yes, they can think--some certainly better than you or I.

Isaan people who don't think.....hmmmmm. Maybe you simply attract that sort of person to yourself, therefore limiting your parameters of observation? At best, your post reeks of arrogance and bigotry. The title alone violates TV rules and the thread should be closed.

Edited December 11, 2011 by Fookhaht

[TheWalkingMan]

Maybe the people within the circle of the OP are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. There are plenty of smart people in Issan and the important thing is to try to avoid the lemonheads and spend time with people you feel are interesting. Avoid stupid people, wherever they are from, at all costs. They can cause unnecessary stress.

Once a Thai person told me that Issan people don't have money. I laughed and told her that there is plenty of money in Issan for someone clever enough to understand what people want/need and are willing to pay for.

[Isaanben]

Come on folks, It's difficult to get many Thais to think very far ahead, just look at the planning to avoid the floods! ( what planning?)

Not all Thais of course, but the further from a city you are the shorter the 'thinking ahead' seems to be. I may be wrong.

Yes, I agree, I don´t think Thai people (from Isaan only?) think ahead the same way we westerners usually do?

We have been building a house now and almost every day the builder said: now this (whatever; nails, cement, paint etc) is finished, you have to go and buy more. And the next day something else was finished so we had to go again. I asked my wife: couldn´t you ask them to check what they might need some two, three days ahead? But no, it kept on the same...

It´s about the same with food and other things we need at home. Oh, eggs are finished have to go and buy. After twenty minutes discover something else is missing, have to go again. Luckily it´s not a long way to the village shop, but some days we may go ten times! But no me, I go maybe two or three times a week to buy beer.

I don´t think it´s a problem, just beleive we are different.

[Fookhaht]

The OP's overall premise is about "intellectual capacity" (please review his post). Therein lies the offensive nature of his post. There is a difference between "intellectual capacity" and differences between cultures about planning.

Thailand has always been a place where your next meal is five steps from the back door (chicken coop, banana or mango tree, the stocked rice hut, etc.) Your next material need is satisfied ten steps down the road (local shop).

You are probably from a northern country where your ancestors had to can veggies and fruit, dry or salt your meat for half the year just so you could survive the coming winter. Add to that, digging a root cellar, stocking up on firewood to keep from freezing, etc., etc.. You can't escape your cultural psyche to plan ad infinitum, which looks absolutely ridiculous and paranoid to your Thai friends, always wondering why you are so "up tight."

Ten trips to the convenience store 50 meters down the lane, where you can socialize, catch up on the village gossip, etc., just may be a less-stressful lifestyle than fretting over a grocery list once a week and trying to get all your shopping done in a couple hours at Big C.

Remember that even home refrigeration is a relatively recent development in Thai society, to enable them to keep their meat fresh for the next day's meal. Most still prefer to get their veggies and meat fresh daily, and use the fridge for keeping the drinking water or beer cold. Your fridge--or probably freezer--is undoubtedly full of a year's supply of steaks, sausages, frozen veggies and schnitzel.

Can Thai villagers plan ahead? Absolutely! Their long-term planning ability shines in their activities surrounding the annual rice cycle where they take great long-term pains to plant, irrigate, re-plant, weed, harvest, thresh, bag, build and stock the rice hut, etc. Fruit farmers, especially, plan long-term (years) and are quite successful at it.

Relax, all you stressed-out Dorothys out there; you're not in Kansas any more where the root cellar beckons you to fretfully plan your escape from hunger or tornadoes.

Edited December 11, 2011 by Fookhaht

[gudtymchuk]

As my missus would say:

"Falang have thinking too mutt."

Your missus and my missus on the same wave length. I hear this from my missus regularly.... So I am on a long term program to learn to refrain from any provocative thinking what so ever.

[Fookhaht]

As my missus would say:

"Falang have thinking too mutt."

Your missus and my missus on the same wave length. I hear this from my missus regularly.... So I am on a long term program to learn to refrain from any provocative thinking what so ever.

A predictable reaction from bemused Thais who wonder why foreigners are so repulsed by the "mai bpen rai," laid-back, relaxed, host culture they've voluntarily put themselves into.

[Jezz]

As my missus would say:

"Falang have thinking too mutt."

Your missus and my missus on the same wave length. I hear this from my missus regularly.... So I am on a long term program to learn to refrain from any provocative thinking what so ever.

A predictable reaction from bemused Thais who wonder why foreigners are so repulsed by the "mai bpen rai," laid-back, relaxed, host culture they've voluntarily put themselves into.

Give me lots of mai bpen rai! The best way to avoid stress, anxiety, depression and all those associated conditions that plague the lives of so many westerners struggling with life in their respective countries.

[Scott]

So far so good, but please keep these rules in mind while posting:

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

I grew up in a Western country in an area which is the intellectual equivalent of Issan. People were smart and educated in their own way and outsiders had a hard time living and working in the same conditions.

Most people in tropical areas are roughly the same. The pace of life is different, things happen on a different time scale, but mostly they really don't have to get ready for winter.