I think this topic is way out of context, We as ''Lao'', if we wanna move on for 21 Century we better be open alittle bit more to the outside world. and Why are we still debated on this issue i mean Lao and thai languages thing ???
As we all knew that Lao and Thai languages both belong to the ''Tai Languages family and very closely related.
Vocabulary, possibly 70 percent of the words in Lao and Thai are the same (anybody here agree with me right!!!) and there hasn't been a count, but many common words are different including pronouns, negative, question words, and vacabulary like: Walk, Run, Look, Book, and bottle etc.....
Sentence Structure, the grammar of the two languages is almost identical so structures like camparativves, tenses, and the use of conjunction are the same. There are some small differences, especially in the formation of several types of question: Have you... yet ? is form with Reu Yang ? in Thai, But Laeo Bow or Leo bor? in Lao.... despite being so similar, its not possible for some thais to understand lao especially Khon Kungthep. So who speaks thai in Laos ? well, most laotians living near the border can understand thai(including my self, i can read and write very good, and has very nice handwriting too.) although some of us may not be speak it well because our understand comes from listening to thai TV and Radio. In some areas that further away from the border the number of people who understand thai decreases because a satellite dish is needed to pick up thai TV. our lao people are enjoying thaitv and music because the two cultures are so similar. for some lao who speak thai fluently may have studied or worked in Thailand, be married to a thai, come from a lao-thai family or travel to Thailand for commercial trading.
So when Laos opened to the non-communist world in early 90. there was a lot of fear that our lao language would disappear as Thailand took over laos economiclly and culturally. this hasn't happened, in fact, China has more economic influence in Laos than Thailand. At this time it look like our language lao will remain strong in Laos and outside Laos as well.
Our laotians people consider ourselves different from thais, We identify strongly with our culture and language, and proud of it and want to preserve it...............
I'm Thai but I think that reasons of e-corner programme do not make sense.
If TV programme in Thailand wants to get information from Laos by interviewing lao people, it has to accept a reply in lao language. Why did e-corner (the giving side) has to please Thai TV programme (the begging side) that much? Both languages are quite similar, even though one side may not understand 100% of another side's utterances but the context will help both sides acknowledge an overall message. Time limit doesn't matter.
Anyway, I know that e-corner has a good intention to render hospitality. So this case should not be taken so serious as to withdraw the programme. Please forgive e-corner, I believe that it will be more careful next time.
I'm a lao guy and here's my personal take on this issue :
For the sake of the dignity (national and personal ) of both sides the discussion has to be conducted thru their own translator. I think this rule is by far fair and no one will get offended nor got taken advantage of. Again, I
want to emphasize that only when the discussion has something to do with public media and not on the personal/family level.