The commune chairman at age 30

Upon arriving at the commune's People's Committee gate, ask for "Uncle Khoa."teach Thai"Everyone knows and immediately points to the room on the second floor where Mr. Khoa works. He currently holds the position of Chairman of the Elderly Association in the commune. Even during the busy end-of-year period, when visitors come, he always greets them with a gentle smile and a warm welcome."

Uncle Khoa compiled the teaching materials himself to teach his students. (Photo)Duc Binh.

Born into the Black Thai ethnic group in Khoa village, this 71-year-old man grew up in a family with a rich cultural tradition; his father was a civil servant in the commune, and his mother was a farmer. He recounted: "Back then, my father often welcomed guests to our house, and they all communicated in Thai. I could understand bits and pieces, but gradually I got used to it."

His memories of over 40 years of dedication toMuong Khoa communeIt's still as clear as yesterday. He worked in the commune from 1983 as the Deputy Head of the Commune Police. In February 1984, he was elected Chairman of the Commune People's Committee at the young age of 30. At that time, he was still attending an intermediate-level political theory training course.Son La province"Before going to school, I only knew my name was on the list, but who would have thought I'd be chosen as chairman," Uncle Khoa confided. Both happy and worried, he only requested a little over a week off to return and take on his new role.

At that time, life in Muong Khoa was very difficult. The centrally-controlled economy limited resources, and people mainly grew rice, corn, and cassava for self-sufficiency. As the commune chairman, Mr. Khoa was always deeply concerned about the development of this impoverished area, often having to work in remote villages, carrying only a few potatoes and cassava roots as food. These difficulties forged his unwavering will and spirit of work.

Having served as Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune for 15 years, Mr. Khoa has become a symbol of responsibility, approachability, and dedication. After retiring, he has served as Chairman of the Elderly Association from 2010 to the present.

They can speak, but few know how to write.

Language and culture are things that people perceive from their living environment, always closely linked to where they are born. Understanding and using written language, which is core to preserving and developing it, is not easy at all.

Uncle Khoa shared: "Where we are born, we will absorb the culture and language of that place. But to recognize and write the characters of our own people, we need to learn."

Each character was carefully written on paper to be attached to the board. (Photo:)Duc Binh.

In November 1970, while studying at the Son La Provincial Teacher Training College, Mr. Khoa first encountered the Thai script through a novel by a classmate. Their shared boarding school days became an opportunity for him to become familiar with the script. With perseverance and passion, after just over a week, he could read and write fluently. This formed a solid foundation for his contributions to the preservation of Thai ethnic culture in the years that followed.

At that time, the social context was fraught with difficulties. War and the need for universal education led to the gradual decline of the Thai script. Thai script classes became increasingly scarce, and over generations, reading and writing skills existed almost exclusively in the memories of a few elderly people, leaving a large gap in the transmission of the script to the younger generation.

Uncle Khoa was always concerned about preserving the language and writing system of Vietnam.Thai ethnic groupWith the desire to preserve and promote this value, he has sought many ways to inspire people to learn and use the Thai language in daily life.

During meetings, members of the commune's People's Committee unanimously shared their opinions and proposed the first step in popularizing the Thai language among officials. They recognized that using Thai in administrative work would help the government be closer to the people, making it easier to share information and support the community effectively.

Training course for officials

In September 2024, the first official Thai language class was held in Muong Khoa commune, under the dedicated guidance of the elderly man. The class attracted more than 30 students, including Party branch secretaries, village heads, and deputy heads of various mass organizations in the commune.

A panoramic view of a Thai script class in Muong Khoa commune, Bac Yen district. Photo:Yellow River.

Every week, from 2 pm to 5 pm, the community center bustles with the sounds of pronunciation and handwriting practice under the meticulous guidance of the elderly teacher. Students are given carefully compiled materials, in which the Thai language is transcribed using standard Vietnamese pronunciation for easy understanding.

The Thai language has two main versions: one based on the transliteration of migrants from Yen Chau and the other by the people of Mai Son. For basic learners, the Yen Chau version is often preferred because it is easier to understand. In this version, the phonetic system includes 36 consonants (called "To") and 19 vowels (called "May"). A single consonant can combine with three different vowels to form distinct words.

Uncle Khoa shared: "To learn well, you must first memorize consonants and vowels. Some words can be combined according to rules, but there are also many special words that need to be memorized separately. This requires perseverance and effort from the learner."

Thanks to Mr. Khoa's dedicated guidance, the class not only helped students master the language but also instilled a sense of pride and responsibility in preserving the Thai ethnic culture.

Local officials actively participated in the training sessions. (Photo)Yellow River.

Lessons at the community cultural center always take place in a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere. On the blackboard, the teacher carefully writes each letter as a model, while below, the students read along in unison, creating a resounding sense of determination. Each stroke of the pen, each word written, is not only a language lesson but also an expression of respect for the national culture.

Before each lesson, Mr. Khoa always takes time to review the material he has taught, helping students remember and reinforce the lessons. He shared: "You have to write it down on the board for everyone to see, pointing out your mistakes, in order to improve. If you just learn and then forget about it without practicing, it won't be effective."

After nearly three months of study, the villagers have gradually become familiar with the alphabet and have begun to independently form words for daily communication. However, according to the students, they still need more time to continue practicing and solidify their knowledge. It is expected that the class will be held again after the Lunar New Year holiday to reinforce and improve their skills.

Recognizing the initial positive results, Muong Khoa commune is planning to expand the scale of the class. Not only for commune officials, the class will open its doors to more members from each village, including children. This is an important step with the hope that the Thai ethnic people will master the written language, preserving and passing on this unique cultural heritage to future generations.

Uncle Khoa's love for the Thai language is encapsulated in a simple yet meaningful statement: "Even though I am old and weak, I will pass on everything I know to future generations. We don't just exist for a day or two, but forever. Let's not lose our national culture."

Duc Binh