They speak Thai in Laos (how did I not know this)
I have never been to Laos before today and for this trip i did precisely zero research about the area or even the country. I am not here on a holiday / vacation, I am here to get a visa done. But that doesn't mean I can't have some fun while I am here, right?
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So i was really tired after i got through customs and immigration and all I wanted to do was get to my hotel. Out of fatigue and just instinct I started speaking to taxi drivers in Thai about getting to my hotel. It didn't dawn on me until after i was walking to the taxi and having everything I just said to them be understood that it occurred to me.. "holy crap, they speak Thai in Laos!" It wasn't just one guy, it was everyone I spoke to.
So on the way back to my room I started noticing that although there are a few differences that I recognized, the written language is almost identical as well. So this is handy.
Of course at my hotel and what not everyone speaks English so I am not going to bother trying to speak Thai with them. Just because I can speak a language doesn't mean I want to. haha.
This is extra special for me because I come from a part of Thailand that has a dielect that i never bothered to learn because for the most part it isn't taught. The Southern dialect is very different from "middle Thai" such as what you will hear spoken in a vast majority of the country. They don't just sound a bit different in the south, they have completely different words. This can make it very difficult to speak to someone in the south, even if you ARE Thai. Up here in the North East (and in Laos apparently) I am finding that I am much better understood than I am in my own town.
How bout that Thailand? My Thai is understood better when I am not in the country at all... what gives?
I realize that this information is not going to apply to almost anyone out there. The Thai people almost certainly knew this already and I am probably one of the only non Thai's on this website that can speak Thai. However, you now perhaps know something you didn't know before and that is one of the most important things in life (to me.)
I like the fact that you went to Laos without any preconcieved notions thus giving you a fresh outlook on the country. It reminds me of when I went to Europe and was so surprised to find that many people spoke at least some English. What a pleasant surprise!
Interesting story, you can't know everything. At least at the moment. Maybe we have a chip somewhere in our brain, in 2025, and then you know almost everything.
I just found out that you travelled more than 1000 km to get your visa done.
In my country I travelled 150 km to get my visa done, and I thought that was insane. Lol!
Hey, that's interesting! As I drink the morning coffee and read your post, I think about how important it is to learn other languages, especially if you have traveled or plan to travel to other countries where they don't speak the language you speak. It's true that right now there are many applications that can help you communicate, but you don't know where you can quietly take out a cell phone and not be stolen. That's why it's better to be safe than sorry, and learn, at least, the basics of some languages. That can be an excellent goal for this new year. Greetings, @gooddream
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I guess this is one of the benefits of learning others languages. I hope you get yourself enough rest in your hotel room after the much stress you passed
Hy @gooddream
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