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“Land of the Million Elephants” |
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In 1946, Laos was united under the Luang Prabang dynasty and was granted local autonomy as a constitutional monarchy in 1949. During the final phases of the Indochina War against French colonialism in 1953, Vietnamese Communist (Vietminh) incursions reinforced the position of the Laotian Communist party (Pathet Lao) in Laotian politics. Following the French withdrawal in December 1954, Laos became an independent nation and was admitted to the United Nations in 1955. The creation of a coalition government under Prince Souvana Phouma in 1962 temporarily resolved a turbulent political situation; an international agreement signed in Geneva that year guaranteed Laos’s neutrality. The Pathet Lao withdrew from the coalition in 1964 and renewed its armed uprising against the government, with North Vietnamese support. American planes bombed Vietnamese supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh trail, and American agents recruited Hmong tribesmen as irregular troops to attack Pathet Lao positions. The Pathet had nevertheless made strong gains, especially after 1970. In 1973, Prince Souvana Phouma entered a cease-fire, and in 1975 the Pathet Lao took control of the capital, Vientiane. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic was proclaimed on Dec. 3, 1975. For the next decade, thousands of Hmong and other tribal people fled to Thailand. |
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Among this exodus of people to Thailand was the Paseuth family. The Paseuth family left prosperous surroundings to escape the suppression of the communist rule. The Paseuth’s were successful business owners in a small township in Laos. Born of Vietnamese decent, Mr.and Mrs. Paseuth raised a family of three children under better than average living conditions. The parents of Mrs. Paseuth were also entrepreneurs, as well as established community leaders, that made a living selling produce (bean sprouts) to local merchants. This business provided the family with property that would eventually become home for the Paseuth family. Despite family and community wealth, the Paseuth family directed their attention towards leaving Laos for the freedom and safety of their children. The Paseuth first daughter, Mai, describes the journey from the eyes of an eight year old girl. “In 1985, we fled the country of Laos to Thailand. A river stood between the two countries along with guards and guns. When the night came for us to cross the river, we all gathered onto a boat and began the treacherous escape.” For obvious reasons, the Thailand government was not open to Laotians entering the country. As a deterrent, citizens were threatened and sometimes killed during escape attempts. Mai recalls, “Luckily for us, we crossed the river without being seen. If the Thai soldiers had spotted us, we were to be shot and killed on site. When we got to Thailand, we found refuge in a small hut. In the morning, I awoke to find soldiers with machine guns quickly approaching our site.” Mai remembers asking herself while faced with the threat, “Were we going to die? Are they going to shoot us? Who would they shoot first?” When reflecting back in time, Mai realized that many families commonly disappear after escaping into Thailand. The fate of the Paseuth family was to be determined at that moment in time. Fortunately, the Paseuth family was gathered and taken to a refugee camp in Nakhom Phanom near Bangkok. Mai recalls, “But first they rummaged through our belongings in search of money and valuables to keep. My mother, who knew of these types of acts, had commissioned a lady (from Laos) to weave a basket that contained a hidden compartment to store valuables. For the next 6 years the Paseuth family, former business owner and community leader, was known as #230004. It was during these years that thousands of families were brought to Nakhom Phanom and forced to call the camp home. Through the years, families in the camps awaited the arrival of liberating nations. In 1985, Australia entered Thailand to the aid of the refugees. Several were interviewed and offered asylum. The Australians left Thailand days before the Paseuth family arrived, never to return. The next opportunity came in 1991, the United States entered Thailand to aid the refugees. Mr. Paseuth was granted an interview and was eventually given permission to enter into the states under certain conditions: refugees were required to have a sponsor and family members would have to spend the next six months learning English at a separate refugee camp set up for migrating refugees. The Paseuth’s did not have relatives in the United States. Outside of Laos, relatives were located in Australia and France. Mai remembers, “Fortunate for us, my mom’s friend who left weeks before to the US found a sponsor for us.” For the next six months, Camp Phanat Nikom in Chonburi, Thailand was home for the family to prepare for entry into the United States – Fresno, Ca. At this camp, family members saw the English alphabet for the first time, learned to speak English, math and science. In Fresno, the Paseuth children attended a school for arriving aliens. Due to Mai’s age, she was placed into a program equivalent to a sophomore in high school while having only six months of English training. Mai recalls, “I secluded myself and spoke to nobody at school. The fact wasn’t that I didn’t like anyone, but rather because there was a language barrier and I couldn’t communicate well. Everyday I anticipated the bell that rang for us to go home where I felt most safe and comfortable.” Eventually, the Paseuth family was confronted with another obstacle. The sponsor, who owned the home the family was living in, was identified as having a questionable background which lead to the Paseuth children being sent to another sponsor’s home. Mai writes, “Being separated from our family and living with strangers made me cry myself to sleep every night. But being the oldest, I knew I had to be strong and I hid my tears from my younger sister. I would comfort her and let her know that we all will be reunited very soon. During the weekends, I would help my parents on a farm picking fruits and vegetables.” The Paseuth’s taught their children the importance of an education and that nobody could take the knowledge away from them. Mai took advantage of this wisdom by committing herself to diligent studies and to eventually enter into a college program. Schools in the states are free. Mai benefited from local school programs by attending summer and winter classes to accelerate the learning path. Now living in San Jose, Mai attended Yerba Buena H.S. and later Piedmont Hill H.S. Mai recalls, “I worked the early morning cafeteria shift and received about $120 a month, which was a lot to me.” After receiving her (high school) diploma, Mai entered Evergreen Valley College and later enrolled in San Jose State University while carrying an AA degree. Mai graduated with a major in Business Administration with an International Business emphasis. Mai writes, “People used to tell me that the US was a land of opportunity and I never understood that until now. My family and I came to this country with absolutely nothing and were given an opportunity to build a foundation here and start a new life. I have a wonderful family and soon I will be starting one of my own with the greatest husband.” Mai goes on to write, “I’ve met so many good friends along the way. Sure my life wasn’t easy, but I would never trade it for any other. All of my past experiences made me who I am today and I am happy and grateful for everything. I have no regrets and will continue to build life long relationships…” For the past 11 years, Mai Paseuth has been an honored employee of Century Theatres and now Cinemark USA. In 1996, Mai joined the theatre ranks (Century 10 Berryessa) while in college and eventually worked her way into a distinguished manager position at our state of the art theatre, Century 20 Oakridge in San Jose, Ca. As a member of senior management, I have had the honor of working with Mai both as a supervisor and admirer. I think I can speak for Mai’s peer by saying their experiences have been the same. I hope that this story will allow those who take the time to read it, to appreciate and know that our company has many personal stories of triumph and tragedy, leading to perseverance. And through an open mind, we learn to build character through those we serve with to make up our place called work. Take a moment to listen to another’s thoughts. Regardless of what your first impressions are, just know that there is a story that lies behind the spoken words. Written by: Eric Martin References:
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