The Lao people or Laotians are a Tai ethnic group native to Southeast Asia, who speak the eponymous language of the Kra–Dai languages, originating from present-day southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Laos, making up 53.2% of the total population. The majority of Lao people adhere to Theravada Buddhism. They are closely related to other Tai peoples, especially (or synonymous) with the Isan people, who are also speakers of Lao language, but native to neighboring Thailand.
In Western historiography, terms Lao people and Laotian have had a loose meaning. Both terms were irregularly applied both to all natives of Laos in general, aside from or alongside ethnic Lao during different periods in history; since the end of the French rule in Laos in 1953, Lao has been applied solely to the ethnic group while Laotian refers to any citizen of Laos regardless of their ethnic identity. Certain countries still conflate the terms in their statistics.
Terieng Village everyone smokes the water pipe
Terrieng villager Ban Bouang Kaleum
Teriang Ethnic villager Ban Laboy Southern Laos
Sekhai Market just outside Vientiane
Kids pulling a handmade cart
Banana seller Lao Bao on Road 9
Pepsi bottle with Gasoline, No Smoking!
Xam Neua Northern Laos
Kareum district home made toys
Akha Tribal Villager Muang Sing District
Sam Lien Thon Kham
Ban Laboy On the Ho Chi Minh trail
Hmong Festival Phou Khoun District Laos
Alak Village Kaleum Ho Chi Minh trail Southern Laos
Hmong festival
Brau Ethnic People Southern Provinces of Laos
Support base, local girl eating noodle soup. Northern Laos
Tribal Villager Northern Laos selling Chinese beer
Villager Nong Fa Southern Laos
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Tribal villager Ban La Hap, on the Ho Chi Minh trail
Hmong Festival and Phone
tribal villager sticky rice
Katu Villager, tribal celebration
Riding a bike Nongfa Lake Attepeu Southern Laos
Hmong man with a freshly killed buffalo head
Tribal villager and son gathering wood Lao Vietnam border
Meo villager Phongsali district Northern Laos
Viengthong 53 km
Phongsali province young student reading
Pou Noi villagers weaving at young age
Ngai Villager Dak Cheung district Southern Laos
Villagers collecting wood high in the mountains Phongsali province
Tribal villager and son on the Ho Chi Minh trail Laos
Jackhammer crew, on mountain cut Kasi District
Buddhist Monk Vientiane province
Local fisherman on the Tonle Repeu river border with Cambodia
Xam Neua province Big smile from kid on a scooter
Ethnic villagers along a remote section of the Ho Chi Minh trail. What, never seen a foreigner before?
Coconut Kid, a young tribal villager carrying water to the village
Laosgpsmap Kmu Village Luang Prabang Province
Red Mud and big smiles chugging a load of fresh cut timber.
Ethnic villagers smoking at a young age
Young child helping here family sell vegetables on the side of the road Hongsa
Akha tribes people Oudomxay province Northern Laos
Dakcheung Province, crossbow hunting
LaosGPSmap-Cooking breakfast Kmu village
Ban Bac children posing for the camera
Children are encouraged to help out from an early age, as seen here in this Hmong village Nong Het district Northern Laos
Alak Village Kaleum Ho Chi Minh trail Southern Laos
Farmer carrying field plow, Phonsavan Northern Laos
Pounoy Tribes people Phongsali Province Nothern Laos, these indigenous tribespeople are preparing for a funeral party.
Hua Pan province, happy girl Houay Ma village
Akha hill tribe, Ban Boun Tai Northern Laos, blue dye on here hands is from working with weaving products.
Chain saw man, the saw is as big as the bike, Logging is a bustling trade with wood prices very high due to demand in China.
Cow girl getting the herd home before the storm hits. Ponsavan, Northern Laos
Akha woman in the Jungle
Hmong Villager Muang Pek District Norhern Laos
Motorcycle seller, Vientiane province
Goldpanning Ban San Noi Northern Laos
Phongsali District man making gun from scratch
Kasi district Local kids taking a break from rice farming
local villager mining gold, Nonghet district Northern laos
Hmong New Year Xieng Khouang Laos Plain of Jars
Village girl fishing Kamouane province
Kids in a cart in the rain, Gnomalat
Old woman with small fish for dinner..
Crossbow hunting
Village elder along the Ho Chi Minh trail
Ta Oy Villager
Ta Oy district
Kids swimming in a fountain Muang Xai District Northern Laos
Brau ethnic villager Attepue province
Dak Cheung district woman smoking a big cigar.
Ban Bang, Karuem district Ta Oy villager and her baby.
Bouarapha district 3 kids posing with fish traps
Catch of the day Saravanh Southern Laos
Morning light the Mae Ban prepairing breakfast
Mounpalok District Southern Laos young girl going to school
