Is living in Laos and visiting family in Thailand feasible?

@Henry ********

The only thing I didn't understand is what your post has to do with the original question

@Jim *******

Just replying to your point as you misunderstood what I wrote.

@John ********

yep, cheap, good beer

@Shannon *******

Plenty of beer in Laos :-)

@Jim ******

- If you read what I dictated. The reference of South is to Isan and not Thailand as a whole. I am aware that Cambodia lies to the South of Isan and the typo is due to unfamiliarity with referring to it. Teaching in Thailand were you? BTW I’ve travelled extensively in Thailand over more than a decade and actually worked out of Songkhla for a while, so am no neophyte. Recently drove from Ubon Ratchathani province to Udon Thani province for a family wedding. Stretching it a bit with the reference to 2,200km and irrelevant to someone currently working and travelling in Kazakhstan. Drive as far to go to and from some work sites.

Nice short flight of only 6-½ hours from Almaty to Bangkok.

@Donald *********

Thai is 2,200km long point to point state.

What is this?

"South are more likely to be Kymer origin rather than Lao."

Is it "Kymer" or Khmer (Cambodia)? My wife can peak Khmer.

Europe, the same distance, like from Stockholm to Rome and you fly over many countries, languages (mutualy unintelligable) , legistratures and cultures.

@Jim ******

- Isan people may well be more Lao genetically but majority, I’d say, prefer to be Thai. Even then, those in the South are more likely to be Kymer origin rather than Lao. As for language? For examples, Spanish is not exactly the same throughout Spain or within the former Spanish colonies in Central and South America. I’ve been told by Norwegians that people from various regions in Norway converse in English as they don’t understand each other when speaking Nynorsk or Bokmal.

My Thai is so far almost non existent and I can’t say the prospect of having to come to terms with two languages (dialects) fills me with much pleasure!

@Donald *********

You would know that. The name (half derogatory name for all foreigners, "farang" is a deformation of Thai pronounciation of "French". Thais never forgave the French cutting the state of Laos out of Thailand.

Indeed, Thailand is not a reper of democracy but Thai people are much richer, well off and happier than Lao people.

My daughter, a Thai national, can barely understand Thai in Wang Nam Yen (near Cambodia) or in Korat or Udon Thani.

She would say "I know what is being talked about and what is happening around me".

Isan, instead of calling us "farang" say "buksida".

@Keith ********

They sure would. I've had this conversation with not a few Thais from there. He's being a simplistic foreigner throwing them all together just because there were some shared roots.