Lao in Cambodia


Population
Main Language
Lao
Largest Religion
Buddhism (Theravada)
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Lao of Cambodia, also known as the Laotian Tai, live in the lowland regions of northern Cambodia, near the border of Laos. They are primarily along the Mekong River and its tributaries. Their language, also called Lao, is a Lao-Phutai dialect of the Tai language family.


Centuries ago, the Lao lived in China. Relentless pressure by the Chinese gradually forced them southward. When the Lao Kingdom was replaced by a communist administration, many Lao fled to Myanmar, Thailand and Laos for refuge. They made their homes along the Mekong River in the eighth or ninth century and moved southward into Kampuchea (present day Cambodia).


The vast majority of the Lao live in Laos, but they are also present in many other countries, especially those in mainland Southeast Asia, like Cambodia. There is also a Lao diaspora community in many Western nations, such as the United States, Canada, France, Australia, and New Zealand.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Although Cambodia's constitution does not guarantee human rights for minority ethnic groups, the Lao in the northern provinces live peaceful lives. There is a continuous question about whether the Lao in Cambodia can be indigenous. This is a potential hot topic.


Most of them are wet-rice farmers. They also raise cotton, mulberry bushes (for silkworms), coconut palms, and various fruits. The Lao has had to become self-sufficient because of the many wars and the aftermath.


The Lao live in villages located alongside rivers or near roads that give them access to Chinese merchants. Their villages range in size from ten to several hundred families. They typically make Lao houses of bamboo strips and palm leaves. They build them high on stilts to protect against the mud and water of the rainy season. Family livestock, which includes poultry, pigs, and goats, may run freely underneath the houses. Nearly every family raises cattle and buffaloes, and they use wooden farming equipment drawn by buffalo. Some of the Lao are fishermen, and some farmers are also blacksmiths or carpenters when there is a need.


The Buddhist Wat, or temple, is the center of village life. Village leadership is usually divided; the chief has authority in secular matters, while the Buddhist monk has authority in religious issues. Lao society no longer has rigid social classes; there is no longer a hereditary elite class. Their social structure is based on family units, with no widespread lineages or clans. The people are closely attached to their customs. Sexual promiscuity before marriage is relatively common.


Lao have a variety of folk arts, and their specialty is a bamboo wind instrument called the khene. The women typically wear short-sleeved blouses and vertically striped pha sins (skirts) woven of cotton or silk. The men usually wear short-sleeved shirts and short trousers. The girls adorn their arms and necks with silver or gold jewelry.


The Lao belong to the Tai linguistic group, which began migrating southward from China in the first millennium after Christ, and which now politically and culturally dominate other Laotian groups.
What Are Their Beliefs?

About one-third of the Lao are Buddhist. Traditionally, young men enter village monasteries for about three months to study Buddhism. The Lao Buddhists believe that right thinking, ritual sacrifices, and self-denial will enable the soul to reach nirvana (a state of eternal bliss) at death. More than half of the Lao combine folk animism (belief that non-living objects have spirits) with Buddhism. They seek help through various supernatural beings and objects. They consider territorial deities to be important. They live in fear of their gods and constantly strive to appease them with religious chants, rituals and sacrifices. They also believe that existence is a continuing cycle of death and rebirth, or reincarnation.


What Are Their Needs?

The Lao in Cambodia need a movement to Christ that will allow them to enjoy the abundant life offered by Jesus Christ. They need freedom from fear of the spirit world.


Prayer Points

Pray for Lao in Cambodia to have open and receptive hearts, and that they would encounter the King of kings.


Pray that movements to Christ would explode, as followers make followers, and that they would place their identity in Christ.


Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the spiritual soil through worship and intercession.


Ask the Lord to bring forth a vigorous Lao Church for the glory of his name!


Scripture Prayers for the Lao in Cambodia.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Lao
People Name in Country Lao
Pronunciation lao
Alternate Names Eastern Thai; Lào; Lao Boc; Lao Noi; Lao Wiang; Lao-Lu; Lao-Noi; Laotian Tai; Laotian Thai; Lum Lao; Phou Lao; Rong Kong; Tai Lao; Ts'un Lao
Population this Country 24,000
Population all Countries 4,008,000
Total Countries 11
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 12989
ROP3 Code 105643
Country Cambodia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Cambodia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Map of Lao in Cambodia Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Buddhism (Theravada)
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
57.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.30 %)
1.40 %
Ethnic Religions
33.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
8.60 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Lao
Language Code lao   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Lao
Language Code lao   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Lao

Primary Language:  Lao

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1906-1967)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1926-1973)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1932-2012)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Lao Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Lao YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: ພຣະຄໍາພີລາວ Revised Lao Bible General / Other
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: ພະເຈົ້າ ແລະ ມະນຸດ Internet Publishing Sevice
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Lao YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Lao Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Cambodia Research Network 
Map Source People Group location: WLMS. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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