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Post Info TOPIC: The Reasons Why Lao People Dislike Reading !
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The Reasons Why Lao People Dislike Reading !
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Rumours stating that "Lao people dislike reading" has existed for years, but during recent years many people have raised another question "whether Lao people dislike reading or do they lack reading materials?"

Lao writers have realised why Lao people stay away from reading. They say Lao society lacks good reading materials that can attract people to reading.

Mr. Chanthy Deuansavanh, President of the Lao Writers Association, said: "Before the writer can write or create a story, if he or she wants to make it interesting, it must be meaningful, easily understandable and new. It should be a story about the things that the majority of people are interested in and is relative to their lives. The stories should not relate to only good things. Good writers need to experience real life in order to express real emotions to their readers and allow them to imagine and understand the real situations. The writers also need to like reading stories of other people. However, a good story needs devotion of both energies and ideas. When the writers have already devoted themselves to a good story, he or she should be rewarded. The rewards do not always mean money or materials but could be through gaining a good reputation or appreciation. At present, the promotion of writers is not good enough due to low labour cost, high printing prices and poor support in terms of reputation and fame. These discourage them from writing stories."


Mr. Daovieng Boudnakho, a well-known writer, said: "Many Lao people are very patriotic. Even though they have a variety of alternatives for reading, they still want to read what Lao people write. The problem is that Lao writers cannot write to serve the Lao people's needs. The reason why Lao reading materials are not interesting is that there are no writers who are brave enough to write about socially sensitive issues even though they know these issues are attractive to the readers. The writers never mention the real background of the issues. The media isn't courageous enough to report sensitive issues on time. People fear to write about something because they do not have the press law to protect themselves or perhaps they fear the individual power of people involves in the story. The editors also fear to lose their position. The problems within the writers themselves are also varied. These include the low labour cost, high printing costs, the lack of financial support and the lack of promotion, especially the annual awards for excellent writers. The selection for excellent writers needs to be undertaken in an open way where it is decided through the vote of the readers."


Mrs. Dala Kanlagna, a writer, editor and publisher of reading materials for the Association of Lao Children, said: "I have spent over 40 years of my life writing. I accept that written materials in our country are very few and what we have are not interesting. To improve Lao reading materials we need to improve a number of things, including good titles, suitable and non-boring word usage, interesting contents and eye-catching pictures. When the materials are printed, good marketing techniques are needed. At the same time the government should do something to raise writers spirits, such as providing press laws and facilitating access to printing permission. This means printing houses become a body to control the printing materials or becomes the publisher itself."


Mr. Anoulack Khammalavong, editor of Update Magazine, said: "I am sorry for my intervention in this topic. In fact, reading promotion is my whole hearted aspiration and what I have strived to write in articles for Update Magazine so far is to provide good reading for Lao people. I agree with people who say Laos lacks reading materials but I see that almost all Lao people still do not choose reading as one of their hobbies. I had an opportunity to visit the Southern Bus Station and saw hundreds of passengers waiting for buses to travel south. Of those people, there were 11 foreign visitors (westerners) and all of them carried a book in their hand for casual reading. They used their backpacks as pillows and relaxed on the floor so that they could concentrate on the book. Meanwhile, amongst the hundreds of Lao people there, not a single book was being read. This indicates that foreigners utilise free time to read while Lao people always spend their free time doing nothing. Hence, the phrases "Lao people dislike reading" and "Lao people lack reading materials" are both correct. These two expressions are closely linked. The reading materials will be developed only when there is a demand from readers. Demand and production would develop together. In environments where Lao people dislike reading, the government needs to create a policy to promote reading, including a policy to allow writers to write what society needs. People inspecting the contents of the written work need to have a wide range of knowledge to avoid mistakes in their decision of whether the contents are sensitive or not. The inspection also needs to be done promptly."


Mr. Siviengkhek Konnyvong, Director General of the Publishing Department, at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said: "Now the government has opened up and promotes writing. Those who want to publish a book could send the contents for editing at the Publishing department. They could find a state organisation to secure the book. But the securing agency must be responsible for all mistakes within the book. Our country does not have a law or regulation to allow private companies to create their own publishing agency, so the private printing houses still cannot become the editor or publisher. Ministries and other state agencies could become publishers. For example, the Ministry of Finance could establish an agency to edit and publish printing materials related to its responsibilities. However, all agencies having their own publishing agency must follow the same government decree and adhere to regulations as the Publishing Department does at the moment. This means writers and publishers who want to publish a book need to read and understand the government's decree first. The decree is not available for sale, so those who want to get them must contact the Publishing Department directly. At the moment, the Publishing Department has two editors and the editing cost is negotiable. Basically, the editors have no right to cut or add any words while editing. They can just mark and comment on the part they do not agree with. Previously, most books proposed for printing permission from the Department were approved. Based on the existing decree, I think the Government provides more support regarding book publishing than ever."

What do you say ? Share your opinion here !!!



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Anonymous

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They simply don't have reading material. Nothing much to read or to partake the useful or interesting knowledge.

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Anonymous

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I agree with the above comment. The problem is that Lao's libraries around the country did not have enough materials, because if you wanted people to read more, first you must provide facilities, and materials in a wide range, materials here are books, magazins, etc... The vital part of a library is that it must have many kind of materials....from Sciences, Fiction, to cooking and to news papers. Library must have enough materials to provide choices for people who want to go there for reading, otherwise they may go to such library and find out not much things to read....and that the end of the story.

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Anonymous

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Usually, all people around the world are curious to know the only things that are useful for them. That would be no exception for Lao people. It could be the case that nothing is useful for them that is why they don't want to read. All are written rubbish, see in the another topic, that would be suitable only for toilet use. There is nothing can learn from or nothing contributes to our society. Do for give if I hurt someone. That's a truth.         

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Anonymous

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Lost of reasons are existed on why Lao people don’t like to read, especially in Laos. Here, I emphasizes in Laos. I meant when Lao People live in oversea, I see them they like to read. The situation makes them be like that.  
 Yes, It could be partly true that the materials for reading are not useful for them, as someone has mentioned earlier.  Simple reason, some may say they have not enough money for our food that’s why they don’t border to buy the materials for reading. Some may say, if I they can gain some things from reading, why not? Some may say they have no time to read, they need to work hard on their job. Some may say they cannot read. Besides, now in our country there are lots of sources of information can be consumed such as radio, TV and TV set. My grandma told me that her eyesight is good she cannot see anything, so she chooses to watch to TV instead of reading.  You see lots of reasons can be mentioned why they don’t need to read. And of course, the worst case, unfortunately, there are, however, lots of the people in Laos who would say we have no time to read because we need to go for drinking beer.
 Having read the opinion of our famous editors of Laos, I do agree with them. But I wonder why they would need to write the sensitive issues. And what kind of the sensitive issues they are talking with? Are they against our Lao Law? As far as I know there is a Law of coping with corruption in Laos. Everyone, including our writers and editors, can help government to make our system to be transparent without corruption. Why not write if you have strong evidence?
 But in fact, I think in order to improve the reading atmosphere in Laos, no need to write the sensitive. Who needs to write the only sensitive issues? That would only serve and help our enemy to criticize our government. If you want to write the sensitive issue, please write it but find a way for our government to address with the issue, instead of emty criticizing. I wonder why our writers don’t want to learn from Chinese writers who contribute huge of usefulness to their government. I must tell you when I read their opinion; I feel they are really cute and clever.    
 For me as I am an ordinary person, I am not a politician either that’s why I don’t need the sensitive issues to read. My Singaporean friend asked me once whether I want to eat or I want to talk. He asked me when I asked him about democracy. Yes, he was right, actually. Everywhere, people need food but not just talking, for Lao people also, I believe. That’s why for me if after reading, I can learn something and the thing is useful for my daily life, that means I can use the knowledge to earn money to growth my kids, I would prefer to read until die. However, so far unfortunately, I haven’t seen many such sources that would definitely attract people to read, I assure you.
 Regards,

TSP         



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Anonymous

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Somehow, I agree with some of the reasons given by many knowlegeable citizens. If you want the lao citizens,regardless of ages to read more, the lao communist government should allow educators, writers/authors to  freely express their thoughts, opinion, and the way they really want to entertain their audiences.  Not all books are written to congratulate the achievement of the communist party.  I personally believe there will be more lao people become interested in reading.



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Saffron


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There is definitely lack of reading materials in Laos school and probably Laos library as well.

#1 factor would be the cost of publishing a book or magazine.

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"Because I criticized Laos government and it policies, it does not mean I want Laos to remain poor nor do I think Lao people are lazy or uneducated."
chiip


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because we are not transparent, nobody can criticize us, we cannot accept it ! we think everything we do are correct, we do not need any critic ...the media has only one target, 5 newspapers say the same thing, same photos. same images and same thought, same pseudo patriotic stories... I think lao people is sick of such writing, they prefer thai media, thai models, thai actors, thai TV, thai radio...or even thai newspaper, do we ask ourselve WHY ? and develop our media. lao people like reading....but...politic or socioeconomic ? ...it doesn`t concern me....
regards.


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Anonymous

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Its not just about the media. Reading and writing skills must be nurtured early in life. It is poor education. Lao children are not given a desire to read through media, through school learning, or through parents reading to them, so the cycle continues. They will grow up not teaching their children to read.

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Saffron


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Yes, children might need to encourage to read.
In American especially where I am at, the school made it a rule that student mus read at least 75 minutes a week. It is not much but that should be enough for elementary students grade 1-6.

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"Because I criticized Laos government and it policies, it does not mean I want Laos to remain poor nor do I think Lao people are lazy or uneducated."
Saffron


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The people over at http://laovoices.com/lao-book-box-fund/

work and help with National Library of Laos Reading Promotion Program to provide books to various school.

from the look of it, there is a lack of reading materials.

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"Because I criticized Laos government and it policies, it does not mean I want Laos to remain poor nor do I think Lao people are lazy or uneducated."
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