Portal:Laos

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Portal:Laos/Intro

Laos (/ˈlɑːoʊs/ ^ⓘ, /ˈlaʊs/, /ˈlɑːɒs/, or /ˈleɪɒs/; Lao: ລາວ, Lao pronunciation: [láːw], Lāo), or commonly referred to its colloquial name of Muang Lao (Lao: ເມືອງລາວ, Muang Lao), is a landlocked country in the heart of the Indochinese peninsula of Mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southwest, and Thailand to the west and southwest.

It traces its historic and cultural identity to the kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao (Kingdom of a Million Elephants Under the White Parasol), which existed for four centuries as one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia. Due to Lan Xang's central geographical location in Southeast Asia, the kingdom was able to become a popular hub for overland trade, becoming wealthy economically as well as culturally. After a period of internal conflict, Lan Xang broke off into three separate kingdoms — Luang Phrabang, Vientiane, and Champasak. In 1893, it became a French protectorate, with the three territories uniting to form what is now known as the country of Laos. It briefly gained freedom in 1945 after Japanese occupation, but was recolonised by France until it won autonomy in 1949. Laos became independent in 1953 under King Sisavang Vong.

The capital city is Vientiane. Other large cities include Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Pakse. The official language is Lao. Laos is a multi-ethnic country with the politically and culturally dominant Lao people making up approximately 60 percent of the population, mostly in the lowlands. Mon-Khmer groups, the Hmong, and other indigenous hill tribes, accounting for 40 percent of the population, live in the foothills and mountains.

Laos' ambitious strategies for development are based on generating electricity from its rivers and selling the power to its neighbors, namely Thailand, China, and Vietnam, as well as its initiative to become a 'land-linked' nation, shown by the planning of four new railways connecting Laos to those same countries. This, along with growth of the mining sector, Laos has been referred to as one of East Asia and Pacific's fastest growing economies by the World Bank, with annual GDP growth averaging 7% for the past decade. It is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), East Asia Summit and La Francophonie. Laos became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2013.

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Plain of Jars: Site 1

The Plain of Jars (Lao: ທົ່ງໄຫຫີນ Thong Hai Hin, [tʰōŋ hǎj hǐn]) is a megalithic archaeological landscape in Laos. It consists of thousands of stone jars scattered around the upland valleys and the lower foothills of the central plain of the Xiangkhoang Plateau. The jars are arranged in clusters ranging in number from one to several hundred.

The Xiangkhoang Plateau is at the northern end of the Annamese Cordillera, the principal mountain range of Indochina. French researcher Madeleine Colani concluded in 1930 that the jars were associated with burial practices. Excavation by Lao and Japanese archaeologists in the intervening years has supported this interpretation with the discovery of human remains, burial goods and ceramics around the jars. Researchers (using optically stimulated luminescence) determined that the jars were put in place as early as 1240 to 660 BC. The jars at Site 1 (using detrital zircon geochronology) were determined to have been transported to their current location from a presumed quarry eight kilometers away. The Plain of Jars is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Southeast Asia. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various Laos-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Ruins in Vientiane, depicted by Louis Delaporte during the Mekong Expedition led by Francis Garnier (c. 1867) (from History of Laos)
Image 2Monks gathering morning alms (from Culture of Laos)
Image 3Auguste Pavie, First Governor-General of the French Protectorate of Laos
Image 4A soldier of the Black Flag Army, 1885 (from History of Laos)
Image 5Lao sticky rice and papaya salad (from Culture of Laos)
Image 6Akha girl in traditional dress (from Culture of Laos)
Image 7Lao princess wearing gold embroidery (from Culture of Laos)
Image 8Ornate lintel Wat Phu, Champasak (from Culture of Laos)
Image 9Ancient human fossil remains from Tam Pa Ling cave (from History of Laos)
Image 10Lower terrace of the Wat Phu mountain complex, Champasak
Image 11Lao women in traditional Luang Prabang sinh (from Culture of Laos)
Image 12Traditional spirit house (from Culture of Laos)
Image 13Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang (from Culture of Laos)
Image 14Morning on the Mekong River (from Culture of Laos)
Image 15Market in Luang Prabang, c. 1900 CE
Image 16Brao couple farming (from Culture of Laos)
Image 17Southeast Asia in the 18th century showing the kingdoms of Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Champasak and the principality of Phuan (Xieng Khuang) (from History of Laos)
Image 18That Luang, Vientiane (from Culture of Laos)
Image 19Bronze Buddha sculptures, Wat Mai, Luang Prabang (from Culture of Laos)
Image 20Lao monk woodworking temple details (from Culture of Laos)
Image 21Kra-Dai (Tai-Kadai) migration route according to James R. Chamberlain (2016). (from History of Laos)
Image 22Lao sculpted wood Buddhas posed "calling for rain" (from Culture of Laos)
Image 23Monks gathered at evening prayer (from Culture of Laos)
Image 24Lan Xang's zone of influence and neighbours, c. 1540 (from History of Laos)
Image 25Plain of Jars, Xiangkhouang (from History of Laos)
Image 26Lao Loum girls dancing in traditional sinh (from Culture of Laos)
Image 27Emerald Buddha (from History of Laos)
Image 28Historic Indosphere cultural influence zone of Greater India for transmission of elements of Indian elements such as the honorific titles, naming of people, naming of places, mottos of organisations and educational institutes as well as adoption of Hinduism, Buddhism, Indian architecture, martial arts, Indian music and dance, traditional Indian clothing, and Indian cuisine, a process which has been also aided by the ongoing historic expansion of Indian diaspora. (from History of Laos)
Image 29Mor lam performance-the men are playing the khene and wearing pha sarong (from Culture of Laos)
Image 30Territories abandoned by Siam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, depicted as a map of Thailand's territorial losses. The Franco-Siamese crisis resulted in the cession of Laos to France in 1893. (from History of Laos)
Image 31Baci Soukhuan (from Culture of Laos)
Image 32The mainland of Southeast Asia at the end of the 13th century (from History of Laos)
Image 33Traditional mor lam (from Culture of Laos)
Image 34French warships bombarding the Siamese fort at Paknam (from History of Laos)
Image 35Luang Prabang, Wat Mai, gilded wood bas relief scenes from the Prince Vessantara Jataka. (from Culture of Laos)
Image 36Map showing linguistic family tree overlaid on a geographic distribution map of Tai-Kadai family. This map only shows general pattern of the migration of Tai-speaking tribes, not specific routes, which would have snaked along the rivers and over the lower passes. (from History of Laos)
Image 37Lao actors wearing Khon Masks (from Culture of Laos)

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Nakhon Noi briefly occupied the throne of Lan Xang from 1582 to 1583 on the death of his father Sen Soulintha, who himself had been appointed as a vassal to the Toungoo Empire from 1580 to 1582. Nakhon Noi took the regnal name Samdach Brhat Chao Samdach Brhat Chao Negara Nawi Raja Sri Sadhana Kanayudha. Little is known about his brief rule, it does not appear in the sources that the Burmese were at the origin of his selection to succeed Sen Soulintha and were instead informed belatedly. If he had supporters in the royal court of Lan Xang they were few and quickly became unhappy with his rule. Within the year the royal court had petitioned King Nanda Bayin for his removal. According to various versions of the chronicles it is cited that Nakhon Noi “did not rule with fairness,” or keep to the religious and behavioral precepts which were traditionally required by a sovereign. Other versions record that he simply had made enemies at court, or was perceived as illegitimate because (like his father Sen Soulintha) he was of common origins. Either at the hands of the royal court, or the Burmese, Nakhon Noi was deposed, arrested, and returned to Pegu. After Nakhon Noi was deposed a period of interregnum occurred from 1583 to 1591 which historian Paul Le Boulanger describes as a period of “absolute confusion,” among the factions at court. The chronicles again agree that it was only after the period of succession crisis that a petition was finally sent in 1591 to Nanda Bayin by the Lao sangha and Lan Xang court asking for Prince No Muang, the son and legitimate heir of Setthathirath, to be appointed as king. Nanda Bayin confirmed the request and Prince No Muang would take the throne as Nokeo Koumane and reign Lan Xang from 1591 to 1596. (Full article...)

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Photisarath Anouvong Setthathirath Sourigna Vongsa Phetsarath Ratanavongsa Souvanna Phouma Fa Ngum Nang Keo Phimpha Sisavang Vong Sombath Somphone Sourith Don Sasorith Kouprasith Abhay Sourith Don Sasorith Phoumi Nosavan Deuane Sunnalath Kham Ouane Boupha Alexandra Bounxouei Channapha Khamvongsa Douangdeuane Bounyavong Daoviang Butnakho Souvanna Phouma Sisavang Vatthana Souphanouvong