The Lao Loum ( lo, ລາວລຸ່ມ; th, ลาวลุ่ม, , ) is an official
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist s ...
designation for lowland dwelling Tai peoples, including the majority
Lao people
The Lao people are a Tai ethnic group native to Southeast Asia, who speak the eponymous language of the Kra–Dai languages. They are the majority ethnic group of Laos, making up 53.2% of the total population. The majority of Lao people adhere ...
. The Lao Loum, literally meaning 'lowland Lao', are the inhabitants of the river valleys and lowlands along the
Mekong River
The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth longest river and the third longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annual ...
and make up over 68% of the population of Laos, of whom half are of the Lao ethnic group. Other members categorised as Lao Loum are the other large Tai groups, such as the
Phuan and
Phu Thai
Phu Thai (Phuu Thai; Thai, Phu Thai: ''Phasa Phuthai'', ภาษาผู้ไท or ภูไท) is a Southwestern Tai language spoken in Laos and Thailand. Although it appears different from the Isan and the Lao languages, it is spoken in ...
and other closely related members of Tai ethnic groups.
Ethnic groups in Laos
Ethnic groups in Thailand
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