What exactly is the difference in culture between North and South Thailand?

[willyumiii]

My take on this..

The south is business and tourist oriented

.Bangkok is the "New York of SE Asia" and is full of multinational companies, business and services where more than half of the countries population works and resided.

It is also a tourist mecca with alot of opportunities to make a big profit for those who can hussle.

I will generalize and say that the culture of the south is one of motivation and work, more serious and hard working and more cut throat.

The north is dominated by agriculture

The farm families work very hard in miserable hot conditions.

But, farming is no t" every day wor.".

You work hard at planting time.

Do occasional maintenance for a few months.

Then work very hard again at harvest time and after that preparing for the next planting.

There is a lot of down time when no hard work is required.

During these times, it is very kicked back and relaxed, much socializing and unfortunately, like all agrarian societies in history, alcohol consumption and alcoholism is very high.

Income from farming is pretty low and people do many other things to get by..like foraging natural plants and animals for supplemental foods or crafting things at home in the village for sale elsewhere.

They are two very different cultures and life styles.

So different that they could be two different countries if the farmers in the north had a deep water port to move their crops from.

It is also necessary to mention that there is considerable movement of people from north to south and then back again.

Many in the north will take jobs in the south, or take their wares to the south to sell and then return home to the north to be with friends and family as soon as they can.

And to all you cynical TV sexpats, I am not referring to the influx of bar girls from the north to south ( that has actually decreased in recent years due to better employment available in in factories in the north).

I have been reading that many of the sexpats have noticed the decrease in quality and quantity of Esaan girls available in the south.

But I do agree that the most beautiful girl in Thailand are those of Esaan.

As I said in my opening line......

That's my take on this.

[Jungle Jim]

Far fewer foreigners in the north. Therefore much more polite Thais > But not for long if the government is pushing for more and more and more foreigners. BIG MISTAKE!

[Nemesis7]

I guess you can invite one Thai from North and One from south and discover by yourself. Or simply travel.

[Johpa]

They eat spicier curries in the south than in the north. And did I mention they speak different languages? Other than that I can't say much as I haven't been down south since 1991.

[Smurkster]

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Every country has a prevailing cultural identity and a number of sub-cultures and or regional differences.

I dont see why Thailand would be any different, especially given Thailand's regional ethnic differences. and influences.

I dont know about Chiang Mai but I do know that in Isaan there is a strong Laos influence.It manifests it's self in language, food, music, etc

I would go as far as to say Northeastern Thai culture IS Lao culture, albeit from the other side of the river and given the name "Isan"

[asdecas]

As a young whippersnapper, I was taught that the girls of Peru had their nipples painted blue.

Much later I discovered that it was manifestly not true.

I expect something similar holds true in Northern Thailand.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

You get more brains and thought in BKK whereas out in the country the mentality is often beyond belief..............I quote my Wife

On the other hand...those born in Bangkok are for the most part, more impoverished than in Isaan...as they live in stenchy, crowded streets with little sanitation. Breathe unhealthy air, are subject to random police searches, unbearable traffic and the lot that goes with it.

I would pick the Isaan or Lanna culture , as it is a healthier lifestyle. And much smarter.

It is subjective..isn't it? Some people like the open air and others like slumming.

On the other hand...those born in Bangkok are for the most part, more impoverished than in Isaan...as they live in stenchy, crowded streets with little sanitation.

As someone who lives in Bkk in a gated community, those born in Bkk tend to live in gated communities or in the suburbs.

The ones you refer to above, tend for the most part to be from Issan and come to Bkk for work.

Those dirty stenchy crowded sois tend to be empty at New Year and Song Kran when the impoverished masses head home.

Try driving on Highway #2 at those two times of year, its almost impossible to get out of Bkk due to traffic congestion.

Wouldn't people born in Bangkok actually have land and/or a house in the city, so no need to live way out in some gated community? Those always strike me as where the 'new middle class' kind of people end up. Enough of a job to afford a mortgage in some ex-swamp land, but not really native Bangkokians, or they'd own some places downtown.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

North is Kmer

Northwest is Lao

South is Muslim

Until fairly recently (100 years) it was many different tribes speaking their own languages and dialects.

[sirineou]

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Every country has a prevailing cultural identity and a number of sub-cultures and or regional differences.

I dont see why Thailand would be any different, especially given Thailand's regional ethnic differences. and influences.

I dont know about Chiang Mai but I do know that in Isaan there is a strong Laos influence.It manifests it's self in language, food, music, etc

I would go as far as to say Northeastern Thai culture IS Lao culture, albeit from the other side of the river and given the name "Isan"

neither did I, I said there is " a strong Laos influence"

in other communities in the north east, there are other influences , but others are better prepared to talk about those

[smotherb]

You get more brains and thought in BKK whereas out in the country the mentality is often beyond belief..............I quote my Wife

you also get arrogance and ignorance in bkk!

Well, those must be the people from the country who went to Bangkok. I think the difference between the North and South is not cultural, it's geographic.

[Trembly]

North is Kmer

Northwest is Lao

South is Muslim

Until fairly recently (100 years) it was many different tribes speaking their own languages and dialects.

How far North?

[pigeonjake]

Very simple, those from North (Isaan) are born with a fully operational ATM pad implanted, whilst those from the South have to have it inserted post birth (as soon as possible thereafter).

another issan basher,( no i dont live there or near there)

do you understand were issan is?

there is a lot more of thailand north of issan, yes issan is north of bkk,

how can people coment unless they have lived in both places,

north and south,

[moojar]

You get more brains and thought in BKK whereas out in the country the mentality is often beyond belief..............I quote my Wife

So, has she been invited in for her attitude adjustment yet? Or is reconciliation only for those on the wrong side of the coup?

[rgs2001uk]

You get more brains and thought in BKK whereas out in the country the mentality is often beyond belief..............I quote my Wife

On the other hand...those born in Bangkok are for the most part, more impoverished than in Isaan...as they live in stenchy, crowded streets with little sanitation. Breathe unhealthy air, are subject to random police searches, unbearable traffic and the lot that goes with it.

I would pick the Isaan or Lanna culture , as it is a healthier lifestyle. And much smarter.

It is subjective..isn't it? Some people like the open air and others like slumming.

On the other hand...those born in Bangkok are for the most part, more impoverished than in Isaan...as they live in stenchy, crowded streets with little sanitation.

As someone who lives in Bkk in a gated community, those born in Bkk tend to live in gated communities or in the suburbs.

The ones you refer to above, tend for the most part to be from Issan and come to Bkk for work.

Those dirty stenchy crowded sois tend to be empty at New Year and Song Kran when the impoverished masses head home.

Try driving on Highway #2 at those two times of year, its almost impossible to get out of Bkk due to traffic congestion.

Wouldn't people born in Bangkok actually have land and/or a house in the city, so no need to live way out in some gated community? Those always strike me as where the 'new middle class' kind of people end up. Enough of a job to afford a mortgage in some ex-swamp land, but not really native Bangkokians, or they'd own some places downtown.

I wrote,

those born in Bkk tend to live in gated communities or in the suburbs.

I didnt say they have any, need to live way out in some gated community?

I dont know what you mean by, way out.

These gated communities can be found in, Suk sois 71/77,Bang Kapi, Ram Intra, Chaeng Wattana for example.

As for in the city, yes they have houses there, eg Bang Sue, also to be found in Suk soi 23, Phrom Pong Thong Lor and Ekamai.

but not really native Bangkokians, or they'd own some places downtown.

Well the mrs, her mother and grandmother are all native Bangkokians, if soi Pridi (Suk 71) is considered Bkk.

Reason they dont live there any more, the land was sold to developers.

Have a look at some of the original wooden house to be found on Pra Ram 4, they must be worth a fortune, although that land is being bought up by developers.

Another interesting soi to visit is Suk soi 4, have a look at the houses on it and the amount of land they occupy, it is almost retirement money.

I was in Pattanakarn soi 32 last week, both sides of the soi have been razed to the ground (a lot of development going on out that way), I believe the going rate is 100k baht per t/w.

The owners will either buy a condo, or move to the suburbs.

If you want to see truely palacial buildings, head to the west side of the river where the Hi So and elites live.

I know quite a few people who will rent or buy a condo close to where they work to avoid travel and traffic, they live there Mon -Thurs, come home on a Fri and leave again on a Mon morning.

As was mentioned by another poster, a fair proportion of the people living in Bkk arent from Bkk, as I pointer out they come for work.

But what the heck, its all a moot point. LOL.

[The Deerhunter]

hahahaha, colours are wrong on the map. The north eat pretty weird food, frogs, insects, small animals lizards etc, wife refuse to go up to visit her father as she cannot stand the food they eat but I guess its just what your raised with

RED & YELLOW!!!! I get it. Well spotted.

[Thongkorn]

I have lived in the Jungles of South Thailand , they call them Black hearts. Jiy Dam, they are stronger physically and talk straight. I can deal with honesty

[rgs2001uk]

They eat spicier curries in the south than in the north. And did I mention they speak different languages? Other than that I can't say much as I haven't been down south since 1991.

Kua kling, aroi mak, pat sa tor aroi mak kwa.

Prettiest women in Thailand are from the south.

[rgs2001uk]

Very simple, those from North (Isaan) are born with a fully operational ATM pad implanted, whilst those from the South have to have it inserted post birth (as soon as possible thereafter).

another issan basher,( no i dont live there or near there)

do you understand were issan is?

there is a lot more of thailand north of issan, yes issan is north of bkk,

how can people coment unless they have lived in both places,

north and south,

Issan, population of about 20 million, or about 1/3 rd of the population of Thailand, why is 99% of the women in any bar in Bkk or Pattaya full of Issan women?

do you understand were issan is?

Do you know what Issan means?

there is a lot more of thailand north of issan,

I can see you didnt major in geography, please let me know where in Thailand is north of Issan, pratet Laos, chai mai?

do you understand were issan is?

A non air brushed history lesson of Issan wouldnt go amiss.

another issan basher,

Great isnt it, I lurv these my women did me wrong threads, why do we NEVER hear about, lets say, Rayong, Pra Chin Buri, Chachoengsao, etc etc?

Why is it always Boo Lee Lam or Su Lin?

[rgs2001uk]

I have lived in the Jungles of South Thailand , they call them Black hearts. Jiy Dam, they are stronger physically and talk straight. I can deal with honesty

Bkk people refer to them as "jai dam", nothing could be further from the truth.

If you have a "southerner" as a friend, you have a friend for life.

Never had a southerner spin me a hard luck story, plenty of buffalo stories from Issan.

[Smurkster]

interesting factoid, obvious if you think about it, but otherwise not so much/...

only 30% of Thais speak Central Thai as their first language (of course nearly 100% speak it as a second or third language as everyone learns it in school) but Isan with about 33% of Thais speaking it as first language is the language of the plurality of Thailand....Central Thai just holds the monopoly and hegemony over the other Tai language groups...Afterall modern day Thailand combines three historical Kingdoms (Ayutthaya, Lanna and Lan Xang)