Why is this written in English?

[The_Traveler]

No matter how small the school or the town in the People's Republic of Lao, some signs are written in English also. Probably to appeal to tourists.

 

[curly]

"ກະລຸນາກົດ 1 ສໍາລັບສປປລາວ, 2 ສໍາລັບພາສາອັງກິດ."

Translation:
"Please press 1 for Lao, 2 for English."

(according to Google Translate, haha)

 

[Designer]

Or maybe there are some English speakers around there. What would a tourist get out of reading a sign over the complaints box? If it was for the benefit of tourists, then why not German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, etc.?

 

[tirediron]

I'm guessing the sign-painter just got sick and tired of all the western tourists asking, "What does that funny sign say?"
"

 

[sm4him]

I'm just fascinated by the fact that there is evidently a public box set up where people can put their "complains." Do they need to be specific "complains," I wonder--or just any old thing. You know, like, "I thought my coffee this morning was a bit on the bitter side."

I suspect the translation of the text on top would be something akin to:
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA--do you seriously think we CARE?"

 

[The_Traveler]

Or maybe there are some English speakers around there. What would a tourist get out of reading a sign over the complaints box? If it was for the benefit of tourists, then why not German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, etc.?

The reality is that virtually all the tourists I met in northern Laos, with the exception of a Korean couple and some Chinese that had driven over the border (only a few miles), had English as a common language. English is the lingua franca of SE Asia at least.

 

[Sicboi]

Wat? Sad...I get it though.

 

[IronMaskDuval]

It could just be poorly translated and was meant to say suggestion box

 

[Designer]

It could just be poorly translated and was meant to say suggestion box

"Complain letters" fits perfectly. Most "suggestion" boxes have nothing but complaints. In fact, the very term "suggestion box" is very poorly written, considering that the whole purpose of having the box is for the notes to be anonymous. Who with a good suggestion would make it anonymously? And most of the "suggestions" involve some kind of physical impossibility.

 

[acparsons62 2]

It is most likely just a random decision from an official to put English on the sign.

 

[waday]

Lew, did you submit a complaint?

 

[jenko]

Interesting piece of the culture.

 

[The_Traveler]

Lew, did you submit a complaint?

In the People's Republic of Lao, the police are not very obvious but I try not to make such a noise that they turn their heads.
I might smoke something if it was handed to me and it wasn't a hugely obvious maneuver but I would never carry anything or do anything against the stated clearly written rules.

 

[Designer]

Clearly written, and nearly understandable.

 

[waday]

Lew, did you submit a complaint?

In the People's Republic of Lao, the police are not very obvious but I try not to make such a noise that they turn their heads.
I might smoke something if it was handed to me and it wasn't a hugely obvious maneuver but I would never carry anything or do anything against the stated clearly written rules.

Nearly understandable. It's the effort that counts.