SINGERS FROM LAOS PRIVILEGES

[samphom]

I always wonder if they are treated as a celebrity just like how Thailand treats their celebrities. Or are they just treated like normal people??? you would see them walk on the street and get normal treatment.

and also what are the requirements on becoming a laos singer??? besides looking good. cuzz let me tell you I been in choir for like all my school years.. i might as well move to laos and become one. lol

 

[dfemc]

I always wonder if they are treated as a celebrity just like how Thailand treats their celebrities. Or are they just treated like normal people??? you would see them walk on the street and get normal treatment.

and also what are the requirements on becoming a laos singer??? besides looking good. cuzz let me tell you I been in choir for like all my school years.. i might as well move to laos and become one. lol

heeeey GO for it...can i be ur manager? i need a job. actually all it takes to be treated as a priviledged group in any country is moola. hahaha...i dunno about stardom in Laos, i'll have yet to meet famous ppl in general. so if u become a star, u can let us know how it all goes?

 

[samphom]

haha

 

[PhoneO_5]

I always wonder if they are treated as a celebrity just like how Thailand treats their celebrities. Or are they just treated like normal people??? you would see them walk on the street and get normal treatment.

and also what are the requirements on becoming a laos singer??? besides looking good. cuzz let me tell you I been in choir for like all my school years.. i might as well move to laos and become one. lol

Well from knowing many of the Laos country singers from Laos, they make nothing! They still have to go to rice fields, etc and do that to make some money. They get on tv and stuff, but they only get paid around $200 to star in films...which is 2 million kip back in 2006. So I would say they aren't treated like Thai celebrities. But, Job & Joy..the two singers from Thailand...they go back home and grow rice too. They tour and stuff, but the company makes more money, not the actual celebrities. I believe new Laos pop singers are getting more fame because they get on tv a lot now and the technology is advancing. Fame is based on money.

 

[jenlattana]

If you are signed up with one of the biggest record companies in Laos, then yes! You'll be making some money but not money like US standards. Of course you have to go by Laos' cost of living. In Laos if you make $200-$400 dollars a month..that's above average. You would be living high! You can build a house over there using 30,000 dollars that will look like a $500,000-$1,000,000 home (depending on which state you're living in)

So when you ask about making the money...yes you will if you live there. But no if you plan on returning to the states.

I recommend you get a deal with Indie Records or Valentine Records. Those are the two biggest in Laos and they ptoduce pop, rock, r&b, hip hop. All you have to do is record, attend shows and events. Basically their an agent and you have to do what they say. You know how it goes! The people who are signed up with them are treated as high profile celebreties and do make the money. Yes like Thailand.

As for country singers mostly they're not signed up with any record but mostly underground, pay to have their record recorded and then promote their own cd.

I might be a little vague on the description but it's just the basics. If you're really serious about it. You should contact the recording company. I'm sure you'lll have to move there though and speak Laos of course. I've never seen any artist that is American and made it big in Laos. Laotian people love it when you can speak Lao. If you can't speak it fluently..then forget about it. They'll make fun of you like we make fun of FOB artists in America. LOllllllllll

 

[Liberty]

I always wonder if they are treated as a celebrity just like how Thailand treats their celebrities. Or are they just treated like normal people??? you would see them walk on the street and get normal treatment.

and also what are the requirements on becoming a laos singer??? besides looking good. cuzz let me tell you I been in choir for like all my school years.. i might as well move to laos and become one. lol

lol why don't ya!

Can't say much about the Lao singers though, sorry I don't know of any, I don't listen to Lao music and I've never even been there.

But I'm like you though, when I was growing up I wanted to be a singer but my focus was more in Thailand because I listened to Thai music and I was in the school choir from 5 grade all through high school, singing opera. I even took dance classes! Our school choir was so good that the governor (or someone else, can't remember) of Vienna invited our high school choir (we had a jr choir too) to go sing there, as well as do a tour singing in 5 other European countries.

 

[jenlattana]

Haven't been there? Why don't cha? I grew up listening to Thai music too. However nowadays Lao Pop Music is up to standard. You should go to the Lao 2008 Pop Music thread and open up a little bit. Give it a chance.

Here are some of the latest.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4gOMwXyI7K8

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qDYQS2MQXQQ

 

[Liberty]

Haven't been there? Why don't cha? I grew up listening to Thai music too. However nowadays Lao Pop Music is up to standard. You should go to the Lao 2008 Pop Music thread and open up a little bit. Give it a chance.

Here are some of the latest.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4gOMwXyI7K8

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qDYQS2MQXQQ

I have nothing against the music itself but it's more of taste.
Some people like country, some like rock.
It's also the fact that I'm just not use to hearing Lao music so when I hear it I get this strange brain itch (well, not literally). I have heard Lao music before though, my dad listens to it. The folk stuff I can deal with it's the Lao pop music that gives me that brain itch.
I wanna go there but it's not like I can pick up and go whenever I feel like it. I'm a full time student with other expenses to deal with.
My parents went back three years ago for my great grandmothers funeral though, they wouldn't let me go because it's been over 20 years since they've been back and they wanted to check it out first. Before that my grandparents went there twice a year and he said there was some issues regarding tourists and religious suppression, my grandpa is Christian and said that people were getting arrested if they even heard a hint of preaching going on. Besides, my parents were staying with relatives and it's really dusty because there aren't develop roads everywhere and I have asthma.

If I do decide to go there, in terms of career wise I would probably work on helping them bring up there standard of media production. Just from watching the first video you linked me I spotted a camera jump, which means someone probably bumped the camera, and then the panning within the first 45 secs. of the video was done too fast. (I do the same thing with Thai and American videos and movies)
Singing wise the two you sent me the artist can at least sing better than half of the Thai artist out there. That's a huge pet peeve of mine, people who get record contracts because they're good looking and NOT because they have talent.
I would like to go there to start my own magazine since that's my field but I'm not sure how open the government there is. If they're going to censor everything it's kind of pointless.

 

[CTR]

Liberty, the government is what holding the country back from it full potential. I want to do many things like you are thinking as well but the restrictions are to much. Hopefully, they will begin to open up more like the Chinese.

 

[jenlattana]

They are definitely pretty open that before. Alot of foreign investment are coming in. Marketing and advertisement would be a great place to enter right now in Laos. They would probably appreciate help. Sometimes if you don't ask then you won't know right. Maybe if you ask the right person like the consulate of Laos who resides in Washington D.C about your interest. He would be happy to willingly give you facts about the country and how they do business. If you are serious about it there is always some way of finding out the facts. Because assumptions and what we hear from people might hold you back from the truth. Not everyone knows everything..going to the source would be best. A magazine is a great idea!!

I also love the entertainment industry. However the first thing I would do is help rebuild some of the elementary school's there. Doing something is better than not doing anything at all ^_^

 

[KEdoubleNY]

They are definitely pretty open that before. Alot of foreign investment are coming in. Marketing and advertisement would be a great place to enter right now in Laos. They would probably appreciate help. Sometimes if you don't ask then you won't know right. Maybe if you ask the right person like the consulate of Laos who resides in Washington D.C about your interest. He would be happy to willingly give you facts about the country and how they do business. If you are serious about it there is always some way of finding out the facts. Because assumptions and what we hear from people might hold you back from the truth. Not everyone knows everything..going to the source would be best. A magazine is a great idea!!

I also love the entertainment industry. However the first thing I would do is help rebuild some of the elementary school's there. Doing something is better than not doing anything at all ^_^

True. A lot of people assume the Lao gov't is bad base on the saying of other people but gotta go and experience it yourself. The country itself its pretty nice. Clean air .. nice people .. and the best of all ... the foods (thought about saying girls LoL).

Never listen to listen who holds grudges against the gov't cause they don't know what they saying .. its best to go it for youself ... Seeing is believing rather than ... listening is believing

oh yea, about celebrities in Laos .. Some of them are famous like Cells (well known in Thailand), L.O.G, and some others. If you make it big in VTE, than you'll probably make it big in Thailand. A friend of mine told me every concert in Laos .. the singers get about $100 ... so if you have 5-6 concert in a month .. you got $500-$600 already .. right now they probably get paid more

 

[Liberty]

My assumptions aren't based off of "someone else's" saying, it's from family and I trust family, my grandpa isnt't the type to hold grudges, he use to be a devoted Buddhist, he still carries the same ethical standards even though he changed religion. That's more than any Buddhist can say that isn't a monk. He also use to work for the government before the current one took over.

Starting anything now would be pointless since I'm still in school, I'll wait until I'm done with school, get more professional experience and financial backing first.
I don't need to ask directly to know what the government is like, I've done my own research, I'm a reporter afterall. Besides if you go to someone who works for the Laos government, what do you expect them to tell you? When a person or organization does something that they shouldn't or something the people doesn't agree with, they're not going to go bragging about it, they're going to play things up as being 'good'. For me to believe anything, I need facts, show me statistic done by a neutral party. In my field it would be naive to take anyone's word as truth, that's why reporters do so much background research before writing a politician's opinions and 'truths', you can't just give readers one side of the story.

 

[CTR]

They are definitely pretty open that before. Alot of foreign investment are coming in. Marketing and advertisement would be a great place to enter right now in Laos. They would probably appreciate help. Sometimes if you don't ask then you won't know right. Maybe if you ask the right person like the consulate of Laos who resides in Washington D.C about your interest. He would be happy to willingly give you facts about the country and how they do business. If you are serious about it there is always some way of finding out the facts. Because assumptions and what we hear from people might hold you back from the truth. Not everyone knows everything..going to the source would be best. A magazine is a great idea!!

I also love the entertainment industry. However the first thing I would do is help rebuild some of the elementary school's there. Doing something is better than not doing anything at all ^_^

I'm not saying it is not open but there are still many things that need to be done. I want freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of religious, freedom to elect your own officials, etc. It makes it kind of hard. Pretty open and complete open is totally different. If these inalienable rights are not met then it is pretty hard to do business especially if you hold them to be self-evident.

Never listen to listen who holds grudges against the gov't cause they don't know what they saying .. its best to go it for youself ... Seeing is believing rather than ... listening is believing

Tell it to those people who are locked up for wanting to believe in what they want. Religious prosecution is still present. Just because things are a little better doesn't make it right. Believe me, more work needs to be done. No one is holding grudges just fair treatment of everyone as human being. These inalienable rights need to be present first before people free comfortable in going back to establish to start something that we are passionate about.

 

[Liberty]

I'm not saying it is not open but there are still many things that need to be done. I want freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of religious, freedom to elect your own officials, etc. It makes it kind of hard. Pretty open and complete open is totally different. If these inalienable rights are not met then it is pretty hard to do business especially if you hold them to be self-evident.
Tell it to those people who are lock up for wanting to believe in what they want. Religious prosecution is still present. Just because things are a little better doesn't make it right. Believe me, more work needs to be done. No one is holding grudges just fair treatment of everyone as human being. These inalienable rights need to be present first before people free comfortable in going back to establish to start something that we are passionate about.

Exactly! Thank you. You put it better than I could've.
The fact that China is more open than Laos says a lot.
Look at how their economy has grown within a few years of opening their doors up?
Granted, Laos is a smaller country with less people but if they'd only be more willing like China maybe things could get done faster.
And like CTR said, being 'pretty' open isn't the same as being completely open.
I trust the words of hard working citizens who have to struggle day after day to make ends meet, not the government. Just because they don't complain doesn't mean things are okay. Those people who complain still have hope for a better Laos, those who stopped gave up hope long ago.
No one's saying Laos is completely rural and poor, judging by the videos my dad took there are many nice places there but you can ignore the fact that the majority of the country isn't like that.

 

[jenlattana]

First of all you can't really compare Laos to China. Population is something to be concerned about. When China changes something it can probably be done in a couple of years because their workforce is so large. Laos the whole country only has 2-3 million people. More than half of them are not even educated. How can you give someone a tool they do not know how to use? The first problem in Laos is unity. They have over 60 different ethnic tribes that speak different languages.

When you talk about freedom of speech, voting etc... that's way too far out. You need to unify the country first. Also to add to that there is no such thing as freedom of speech or freedom of the press. I'm sure there is also some restriction in the press here in America. Thailand also has a group who reviews every media that goes on the air. They banned youtube.com from everyone in Thailand because someone posted a controversial video on their king.

Yes, most of us who fled from the government in Laos has a history of a family member serving in the government (whether it be royalty, military or politician) before the communist regime. It is safe to go there if you don't boast about who you use to be or what you use to do. Just like the Laos couple who visited Thailand told people that they had royal bloodlines. Why would you even tell them? So they can treat you like a god? Goodness just keep it a secret. So that goes back to my topic of....when you go to Laos try to blend in with the crowd as much as possible.
By the way the Crown Prince's mom and his youngest brother still resides in Laos and they are living well. They are displayed as a cultural figure and no the government does not plan to execute them. I guess because her highness is not giving the government any problems. ^_^

The presence of a real princess does not have to be spoken of and she will be felt.

The fake ones usually just blabber on and on and on....

Anyhow thanks for your input Liberty and CTR it was a great discussion. Hopefully no one gets offended in the process. Hey freedom of speech right? hehehe

Oh my god wayyy too long hehehehe

 

[Liberty]

Summing up how American media works:

I can speak for American media. There is no real restriction, it's protected in the first amendment. Of course it's up to the indiviual working within the media how they handle that freedom, some people take advantage of that and write things or express things that defames a person, that, they can get in trouble for because there are laws against that. People like that generally lose their job soon after. The law protects civilians from the media unless they've commited a crime and the media here can't out rightly say someone has done something until they've been convicted, they can't even hint it. There are laws that protect public figures and celebrities but if they claim that the media had ruin their image in any way they have to be able to prove that what's said or printed isn't true, which a lot of the time is hard to do that's why they don't bother to sue the media, it's hard to win cases like these but not impossible.
Of course don't get the news confused with tabloids, that's not even on the same ethical level. Tabloids know their rights and they know they can get away with a lot of the garabe they print. News is more responsible (real news, there are fake news on TV that's for entertainment purposes but some people seem to think it's real) with what they print because their company's name and integrity is on the line. If the public can't count on you to give them correct information they'll go else where. You'll have the handful of of reporters who go and so something stupid like make up a story, when it's a reputable reporter no one is going to assume that the story is made up. It's happened a couple of times, one with a New York Times reporter, obviously that person was fired (stupid move because a lot of reporters would give anything to writer for the New York Times).
As for free speech, Thailand is it's own country they can do whatever they want. In America free speech also falls under the first amendment. It protects citizens right to speak out against the government if they choose to, without any fear of persecution. It's good to question authority, if you follow blindly and take their word on everything, eventually someone's going to take advantage of that.

Anyway, sorry I_love_sam, for hijacking your thread. Lets get back to the topic.