December 2: Lao National Day
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of Laos.
Map by Peter Hermes Furian / Shutterstock.com.
History Note
During the Middle Ages, a people group known as the Tai expanded from southwestern China into Southeast Asia. Their descendants separated into several modern ethnic groups who have cultural and linguistic similarities, including the Thai, Lao, Shan, and Lü.
Fa Ngum founded what is considered the first Laotian state in 1353. It was known as Lan Xang, the Land of a Million Elephants. Fa Ngum received support from the Khmer Empire. Conflict with neighbors and internal divisions led to the dissolution of Lan Xang in the 1700s.
After a period of control by Thailand, Lao territory eventually came under the control of France in the 1900s. After Japanese invasion during World War II, independence movements grew in Laos. The divided Lao subkingdoms were unified in 1947 under one king, though the French still had ultimate authority.
Different groups competed for control of Laos as part of the broader Cold War tensions. Some Laotians had ties to Communist groups. Some wanted to ally with the United States. Others wanted to remain neutral. The conflict in Vietnam spilled over into Laos, which endured a long civil war.
As the Communists in Vietnam took over that country, the Communists in Laos also took over their country. They deposed the king and created the Lao People's Democratic Republic on December 2, 1975. This date is celebrated as Lao National Day.
Laos remains one of the world’s few Communist governments. It has a population of 8 million. Ethnic Lao people make up just over half of the population. The Khmou and Hmong are two of the largest of dozens of other ethnic groups in the country. About 65% of the population identify as Buddhist and 2% as Christian.
Though the elephant population has declined, elephants remain an important part of Laotian culture. Photo by KaikeoSaiyasane / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
This 2018 video shows traditional Lao dancing.
Find more resources at Homeschool History.
