Can you tell the difference between East Asians and Southeast Asians?

Question

East Asians:

http://www.christopherholt.com/photos-2002/japan_2002/people/china-town-ladies-12-w.jpg

http://www.quickmandarin.com/images/learnchinese-yao-headshot.jpg

http://soleip.gsnu.ac.kr/sub3/images/right4_4_6.gif

Southeast Asians:

http://www.international-alliance.org/pics/RS_sayan.jpg

http://www.international.ucla.edu/cms/images/seadancer_collage_lrg.jpg

http://www.abasd.org/events/uploads/Filipino%20Press.jpg

Honestly, I don't see how it is so hard even for non-asians. Southeast Asians look like a mix of East Asian and Indian..

Answer 1

I can, but I'm Asian, lol. One earshot of their language and I know who they are.

Answer 2

Yeah, as a white guy I can easily tell the difference.  However, I have been the Philippines 4 times and stopped through Japan every time on the way there, so I got pretty good exposure.  I have also had one Filipina and one Vietnamese girlfriend as well, so that makes it easier.  The town I live in is about 95% white, so most of my friends can't tell the difference.  It's not racism, but it's unfortunately cultural ignorance.  I think people should be more interested in meeting and speaking to people of different cultures: it expands your understanding of different people and it helps to quell ethnocentrism.

Answer 3

Not really...sry:)