The Idea of Laos | Anoulak Kittikhoun | TEDxLaneXangAve

What is the idea of Laos? The idea of Laos, like all ideas, is based on two things and two things only: the place we are located in, and the history of this place. In an increasingly competitive, highly integrated, technologically advanced world, is this idea of Laos sufficient?
Dr. Anoulak Kittikhoun researches, writes and speaks about how ideas shape an organization, nation, region and the world. A political scientist by training, he graduated as an International Valedictorian from the Australian National University and received his Master and Doctor of Philosophy from the CiUniversity of New York. In his past life, he was a staff of the United Nations Secretariat (the first international staff from Laos) and a college professor in New York. He has published on the UN, conflict management, international relations, revolutions and Laos, in which his article won best award from the American Sociological Association. In his current day time, he serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at the Mekong River Commission.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@elkmonk]

As a Hmong and Laos as one of my country of origin, and many studies of indigenous cultures all around the world, I am going to add that Laos needs to continue to keep culture, their natural way of life, and not fall into too much influence of western culture. You see, that was the purpose of the Vietnam War, was to create hardship and genocide onto the people of Laos/southeast asia. I know this because I studied the history of the indigenous people of America and how they were wiped out through gun violence, and now, suppressed to live on a small piece of land called reservation. "The world is crazy because of monetary greed". It is good to "evolve" to become modern to simplify life, but it is more important to keep culture, as culture is your identity to who you are and your proof to the land that you are entitled to as indigenous people. Peace to us all will come when developed countries stop creating war by being bullies with their weapons and created ideology of democracy. Peace is helping each other survive, so give a helping hand. Peace is teaching and raising your children to know how to self sustain when you grow old. Peace is not falling for lies and manipulation. Long story short, peace is who you are as a person as we are all put on this earth to survive through learning from our parents, uncles, aunts, and grandparents.

[@roshnik5137]

You are right, indigenous cultures should protect themselves from capitalist western influences.

[@vnktravi]

Very good to hear the background of Laos. Very friendly people. Love from Bangalore, India

[@tingtingnoy3133]

Lao people need to promote what Lao is and where they came from, as Thailand promotes its fabricated history, although we cannot outspend the Thai, we have actually historical content that overrides the monitory differences. Not only did we lose the western half of our kingdom we lost over 90% of our population, in 2020 they even deny that they are Lao, Lao is not just a small landlocked country it is a diverse group of people that expands into many countries. The majority of which live outside the country.

[@user-nb8dm1gz2t]

this is very sad. I get pissed when I see people using the word "Isan" and saying they aren't Lao. Also just so you know, not everyone here denies that they are Lao, it's just some folks

[@o.revi.]

Thank you to Dr. Anoulak for speaking up. I am terrified of public speaking and this is awesome to know the Lao society has someone like Dr. Anoulak. So thank you (-^^-) Came here because I was looking into the story of Mekong River mythical creature, Phaya Naga hehe

[@veomaneedouangdala878]

Would be great to translate in Lao Language for people who can't understand English !

[@zaiyuvat]

Lao history is barely of the books, beyond its most ancient record of Luang Prabang publications. It was not granted publication powers from the Angkor Period, and the Ayutthaya period, because it was absorbed and administered by those greater coastal powers. The land of Laos holds more information than any of its written publications. To get a better idea of Laos on a written level, we have to read about its neighbors and their history, as their records are much more numerous in comparison, and can be found in mentioning Laos. Investing $100 to $200 in Southeast Asian history books, and some books of Central Asia will provide a lot of insight.

[@uglyugly8969]

I LOVE PEOPLE LAOS MY COUNTRY LAOS AND WE LOVE YOU PEOPLE IN THE WORLD EARTH 🌍 Thanks your for Video 💞

[@BACSITUANTU]

from VIET NAM with love. so impressed. very good speech, excellent thinking.

[@toddhildebrand]

Wonderful talk! Will be visiting Laos in March for about a month.....SOOOOO excited! Thank you Dr. Kittikhoun for bringing us closer to your wonderful country. ~See you in the jungle!~ Best, Todd

[@LAOBASS]

this video was in 2016. nice formation on the tedtalk. very informative. I agreed on most of what he said. running steady seems like a good idea. 2021, it seems like they're sprinting now with the dams, the railways, the airports, the new sky scrapers.

[@natalysedthatilastlaos9627]

This Guy you are Right president this history about Laos country we Love you LAOS PEOPLE

[@kimphong6400]

Well spoken indeed !

[@sodarocker]

thank you for your topic

[@saolaotai]

That's a great speaker and inspiring me to run for my future ❤

[@NatileNative]

He's speaking the truth. I believe I can excel given the opportunity but limited opportunity.

[@KrshnVisualizer]

Im a Filipino, but this speech is really inspiring. The only direction is to move forward, forward, and FORWARD! All love, my southeast asian friends :D

[@fr0ncer]

In my opinion Laos is doing a great job during the pandemic to help its people.

[@sdkoflpdlfs1104]

That didn't age well

[@user-nt8op1gd8i]

Such a powerful and meaningful speech. Thank you for opening our minds and allowing us to shift our mindset into looking at the bigger picture to being a better Lao country. Thank you Doctor. 🙏 In addition to what the Doctor was saying, I always like to use KZbin as an example. In the world of youtube, valuable information is not withheld from one another, it is shared. Therefore as an entire group, when we share with one another, we advance one another, we improve one another, and we grow one another. So why should we ever withhold valuable and knowledgeable information from one another? There’s nothing wrong with sharing our knowledge, that creates more opportunities. So instead of looking for ways to keep from getting wet when it rains, let’s find a way to make it sunshine. Let us be, Proactive. Don’t let our surroundings determine who we are, WE as people of Laos, get to decide who we are. Please remember to always take the sunshine with us no matter the storm. Thank you guys for your time. I love you all. And I love our country of Laos.

[@vienasaluangasa4336]

Now who we are we want to be Laos to united all Laos people's.

[@alecsanavongsay8894]

🙏🏼

[@chareunsayakoumane259]

Well said brother!!! But allow me to add this: lanxang splited up(due to internal fighting)- became Siamese colony. Many attempts to fight for independence, most prominent was Anouvong(failed due to disunity). Thanks to the French that prevented us from being Esarn. Thanks to the Vietnamese (Vietminh) who gave us Lao nationhood as today - a mere 6million people as today) by kicking out the French. Again because of disunity we become the most bombed country on earth. Hope this serve as an invaluable lesson to present & future generation of Lao nation hood. Thank you for sharing this Utube

[@khaopiak]

This guy ignores the North Vietnamese imperialists that control and run Laos till this day. Lao people view the 1960's-70's as Laos vs North Vietnam. There's a reason there's a picture of a North Vietnamese born and raised man on the Lao money. I wouldn't be surprise if this guys' family has photos of Kaisone(North Vietnamese), Nouhak(Vietnamese from Thaialnd), Khamtai(Vietnamese from Thailand) all over his house. The normal everyday Laotian does not get the same educational opportunities as this speaker, who is most likely an offspring of the "party".

[@syntheticdawn4992]

laotian anarcho-capitalist propaganda dude . Laos today is peoples anarchy capitalist republic communism is nowhere to be seen

[@BACSITUANTU]

Laos is independent ! dude. they have their own way to raise their country. you need more education to get out of what you drawing.

[@tingtingnoy3133]

Chinese have more influence then Vietnam right now, if laos was so called controlled by Vietnam, such an influence would not exist

[@fr0ncer]

That seems to be a thing of the past in Laos. I experience Laos as independent. However, I see Laos gets help from other Asian countries and there might be influence from there. E.g. Japan built the electric infrastructure in the town in Savannakhet province where I usually stay.

[@LaoHelpingLao]

Sabaidee 🙏

[@mitchelllee1339]

Laos poeple are happy poeple on earth

[@vienasaluangasa4336]

Laos has long story's

[@annoying711]

Land link not land locked

[@yoomnguyen1]

Most bombed per capita. Population of Laos is around 5 million at that time

[@kaldeekaldee8191]

It is better to live one day as a Lao Tiger than to live a lifetime as a communist Lao Coward. Wake up n wise up Laos.

[@syntheticdawn4992]

you mean thai tiger , non cowards go to thailand communism in laos was never about the same values like china and vietnam who are industrial powerhouses

[@pamp.phongsay2976]

It's the 21st century and the only people who lives well is the party. It not free and still run like communist China where the people in charge gets all the benefits. Keep the tradition but change the culture to advance our people. Teach future generations whether they are rich or poor. Laos has a lot of riches but government fails to use what the land has to offer but allow country like China and Vietnam to come in and to make themselves rich. Invest in our people and allow free thoughts and ideas. Being humble is letting our people be truly free to speak and expand our thinking.

[@adadaka-y7273]

Ka lawlaw, thiah thai, bitnam

[@rahulrathod-vx6yv]

English

[@Few_politicians_run_your_life]

?

[@lancesay]

The Idea of Laos not the history of laos... he goes on and on about the history and nothing new about the idea of laos. anyone could just bs about this topic. i really did not learn anything new here... boring.

[@sodarocker]

he misunderstood of TedX

[@sodarocker]

he should tell what he done or advice the oudiens to do something

[@CKdREAMZ]

Lol it's funny that Laotians let others define what "so Lao" is rather than defining it themselves.

[@tingtingnoy3133]

The liberal and leftist Lao communist who engage in victimhood will keep the Lao community down

[@no1channel549]

ພຣະແກ້ວມໍລະກົດເປັນຂອງລາວ