I don’t think I mentioned that I worked in the refugee camps in Thailand back in ‘79 and ‘80. I mostly worked with the Hmong, but occasionally a few other groups. I was a case worker, helping with the immigration process for our allies. That was just about the time that a bunch of starving survivors managed to get out of Cambodia...
I can speak Thai, but never learned much Cambodian. All I heard in my interviewing was “Bro, Saray, Salap” - brother, sister, dead, I think it was.
It was an ugly scenario....
What is interesting to observe, is how some of the “boat people” from the region have done so well in America - and some have had more difficulty.
WRT working in Thailand, you certainly have more current memories, then, than most of us. I’m impressed you speak Thai....I can’t even pronounce their names, but did spend some time in Patpang alley....and the hotel I was staying at then was just up the road, so walking took care of me...what an amazing place....missing by day and every thing the heart mind etc could imagine by nite!