Ho Chi Minh Educational Center Udon Thani

Just a small point . The music on the video is so loud its difficult to hear the commentary .

It is located in Nong On village just past Chang Phin heading towards Kut Chap. Our farm and house are located real close to it. When we are in Thailand we walk over there and check things out but usually there is noone around. We will be back in August for a couple months and will certainly walk over for a visit. Any updates on the new center I will certainly update you'll.

fried rice wrote: usually there is noone around.

Who's Noone? ... Do they speak English?

Oh Damnit, sorry there is nobody named noone. I forgot the space. Silly mistake, I will slam some beer as self punishment for my grammar error.

It is difficult for me to celebrate ''Uncle Ho'' in any manner with the thought of the American losses incurred in VN,,whether the war was wrong or not!Respect him as a leader of his people,but celebrate events or venues is his name.I don't think so!

I agree with your view, nk. It would give me an uneasy, queasy and even disloyal feeling to visit these HCM venues in Northeast Thailand. I was in the military in the early 60s but never served in VN. Closest I came was working as a civilian at the airbases in Thailand but the same goes for visiting Hanoi, Danang, Hue or wherever. Well, might make an exception and visit Saigon someday.

I know that NKP claims Ho Chi Minh as a resident back in 1928-1929, but can't find anything that points to his staying in Udon. Wonder if he was just a visitor.
If anyone can snap a photo of some documentation concerning his stay in Udon, I'll do my best to translate it.

I do respect your ways of thinking Polehawk and Stan. Just as a small look from the other side.

I have been to Viet Nam several times of late. On one of my trips to Hanoi, I ran into a North Vietnamese Army Veteran during the war as he actually provided me with a bit to think about. He was regular army and not one of Ho's boys. As we talked he told me about how he believed that after the war surely to the victor go the spoils. He figured that he would be welcomed back to Hanoi with parades and general celebrations. He also thought that being the victor brought the spoils of war. He was looking to go home find some work and settle down with his wife.

He told me that all the above was just again propaganda put out by his gov't. As he told me he expected more. He said that they won the war but went through 25 years of pure hell of not having enough to eat and never enough for a few luxuries in life. I am not so sure this vet felt any great sense of winning the war. Maybe he was only one and the opinions are not shared by all in Viet Nam, however in my travels there, it has truely been an eye opener of what might have really happened.

Another incident happend in Hanoi of interest. I was out walking around a lake in Hanoi (has many lakes) and as i rounded the lake there was a protest going on. As I do not understand Vietnamese, I am not sure what they were protesting. I noticed a lot of police around, so thought I would sit and just watch. About 5 minutes later several buses pulled up and out pops police and military types. They announced something over a bull horn and what ever it was did not make these people happy as they got really loud. The police and military types then started putting the demonstrators on the buses and when I say putting, they were not going of their own free will. I saw two women being pulled by their hair and many batons flying off off folks bodies and heads. About that time one of the police approached me, as I had my camera over my shoulder but not taking pictures at all (I knew better) and demanded my film. This was not an offer but a demand and he got the film with no problem from me. I was then told to return to my hotel. Still don't know what they were protesting but I can say there is no real protest going to happen in Hanoi.

In saying all this, I did meet some very nice folks in Viet Nam and email one couple even now. I did not feel like going put any disrespect towards anyone. Again I do understand your position.

I do not know if you guys have been to Beijing (Peking) but I was startled by another thing I found in a communist country. Do you remember the protester in Tienaman (please forgive spelling) Square staring at a tank. He either had to be the biggest darn fool or really believed in what he was doing along with the rest of the protesters. While there I realized as you enter the square there is no exits except for like single lanes out each cornor. By the way the square is something like 500meters by 300 meters (just guessing) and it was packed with people. In other words no where to go.

I feel like as a person goes to different places in the world he/she has a chance to spread a bit of cheer. By letting others see you they will have a much better chance of getting their own choice of gov't correct. Mine sure is not doing well and I hope better for the future. By seeing others I have a different view of what is important.

I support our Veterans and always will.

nkstan I like your post on the subject. I was stationed in NKP and remember the HO clock and thought why? And now an Ed. center in Udon, and I think why? To me it is just a sharp stick in the eye.

"remember the HO clock" "and I think why?"

There's a variety of info on Vietnamese migration into Thailand when the French colonized Vietnam. Some historical info available at http://phupan.multiply.com/reviews/item/2 .
I believe the clock tower in NKP was in honor of those Vietnamese who returned to their homeland after the French were given the boot. No connection to Ho as far as I know......just a convenient way for the GIs to refer to a landmark.

I'm working over in Vietnam at the moment and i live up near Nong Khai.

One of the most amazing things I've found over there is that there is no ill-feeling towards Americans.There is a huge amount of it towards the Chinese and to a lesser degree the French.
They admire the US and use it as a reference for what a country can aspire to become. Kids stand up in school stating they wish to go to the US and learn more about it so that they can help their own country.
I'm not trying to wave any flags here; I'm a Brit.
The fact is that Uncle Ho has almost a God-like status over there. The other facts are that through conflict, wars, peoples courts, executions, assassinations and an overwhelming death rate from starvation left anywhere between 10 and 30 million dead. Most from the enforcement of communist ideals/programs.
i.e. the declared victory saved him from being tarred with the same brush as the Nazis, Idi Amin, Pol Pot etc............
Ghandi achieved the same thing and is rightly revered.