Laos - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 752

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People & Culture
People & Population
As many as 132 ethnic groups make up the people of Laos. Sixty per cent of these people
are Lao Loum (lowland Lao); they have the most in common with their Thai neighbours,
and it's their cultural beliefs and way of life that are largely known as 'Lao culture'. The
remainder are labelled according to the altitude their groups live at: Lao Thai (living in
valleys up to an altitude of 400m, composed of Black Thai and White Thai); Lao Thoeng
(midlevel mountain slopes, including Khamu, Lamet and Alak); and Lao Soung (living
1000m or more above sea level, including the Hmong, Mien and Akha).
Trying to homogenise the people and psyche of Laos is precarious, as the country is
really a patchwork of different beliefs, ranging from animism to the prevailing presence of
Theravada Buddhism, often both combined. But certainly there's a commonality in the
laid-back attitude you'll encounter. Some of this can be ascribed to Buddhism, with its
emphasis on controlling extreme emotions by keeping jai yen (cool heart) and making
merit - doing good in order to receive good. You'll rarely hear a heated argument, and can
expect a level of kindness unpractised to such a national degree in neighbouring countries.
The Lao are very good at enjoying the 'now', and they do this with a mixture of the bor
Ъen nyăng (no problem) mentality and a devotion to móoan (fun). If a job is bor móoan
(no fun), it is swiftly abandoned in pursuit of another, even if it means less income.
Kamma (karma), more than devotion, prayer or hard work, is believed to determine one's
lot in life, so the Lao tend not to get too worked up over the future.
Government spending on education amounts to 11.7% of total public spending. Educa-
tion has improved in recent years, with school enrolment rates at 85%, though many drop
out by the time they reach secondary education - the planting and harvesting of crops, es-
pecially among the highlands, is seen as more important than education, as the whole fam-
ily is involved.