 Laos - national flag
The flag was introduced in 1975, when the country became a People's
Republic. It dates back to the 1950's and is identical to the flag of the
People's Revolutionary Party. The red color stands for the blood sacrificed in
the struggle for independence, the blue stands for prosperity, and the white
disc symbolizes the promise of a bright future for Laos. The dial is a common
symbol in the Far East.
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Laos - prehistory
Knowledge of Laos' archeology is limited, but excavations in the 1930's in
rocky shelters and caves in northern Laos have revealed remnants of the Hoabinh
culture, a hunter-gatherer culture known from all over South Asia. The simple
stone tools date to between 9000 and 3000 BC. In the youngest cultural layers,
egg-cut tools and pottery shards with simple, incised ornamentation have been
found; connection with agriculture has not been proven and a Neolithic rice
cultivation culture has not yet been found in Laos. Finds of large bronze
cauldrons along the Mekong River suggest that here around the birth of Christ
there have been rich communities with trade contacts along the river. From about
the same time, the finds are on Lerkrukkeslettenof large stone pots. The
largest are over 3 m high and weigh more than 15 t. In connection with them are
sometimes found burnt bones, pottery and smaller iron objects; in Ban Ang there
is a cave in the center of the pots where cremations have taken place. In 1996,
near Vientiane, a larger collection of large clay pots from the 300's AD was
excavated, containing smaller pottery and a few iron objects.
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such as LAO which represents the official name of Laos.
Laos - history
According to a2zgov, the first political centers, established by the immigrant Lao people,
are believed to date from the 1200's. They were subject to the Cambodian Angkor
Empire, from which the religious and political influence was strong. With the
support of Angkor, the first independent Lao kingdom, Lan Xang, was founded in
1353 in Luang Prabang. The kingdom was at times a regional power factor whose
influence in the mid-1500-t. stretched across the whole of Laos and the Khorat
Plateau in present-day NE Thailand. During the same period, the capital was
moved to Vientiane, where the kingdom under Souligna Vongsa (1637-94)
experienced its golden age. The city was the center of Buddhist studies and
attracted monks from Siam, Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma). The Lan Xang Kingdom
constituted a decentralized and unstable hierarchical structure of local rulers
bound together by personal alliances. In the early 1700's. the kingdom was split
into three smaller kingdoms (Champassak, Luang Prabang and Vientiane), which
came under pressure from the powerful neighbors Siamand Vietnam. In the late
1700's. they became the vassals of Siam. In an attempt to re-establish an
independent Lao kingdom, in 1827 the king of Vientiane sent troops to
Bangkok. However, Vientiane was laid in ruins by Siamese troops, and the
majority of the kingdom's population was deported to present-day NE Thailand. In
the second half of the 1800's. the other Lao kingdoms were gradually incorporated
into Siam, whose rapid expansion provoked conflict with France, which wanted to
expand its influence in the area. The conflict culminated in 1893 when France
sent warships against Bangkok. Siam then made the claim to the area east of
the Mekong, and Laos was created as part of French Indochina.. One consequence
of the demarcation between Laos and Siam was the separation of the Lao people of
Laos and present-day NE Thailand. Under French rule, the Luang Prabang kingdom
had the status of a protectorate, while the rest of Laos was administered as a
colony. It was not until 1946 that the king of Luang Prabang was installed as
king of a united Laos.
At the end of World War II, the country was briefly occupied by the Japanese,
and it fueled the nationalist movement Lao Issara 'Free Laos', which in
September 1945 declared Laos independent. In 1946, French troops again occupied
Laos and forced the movement into exile. When France recognized Laos in 1949 as
an independent country within the French Union, most of Lao Issara returned. The
fight against the French continued in the communist rebel movement Pathet
Lao 'Lao-Nationen' under the leadership of Prince Souphanouvong and in
alliance with Viet Minhin Vietnam. After Laos became independent in 1953, many
wanted to integrate Pathet Lao into political life. Under the leadership of
Souvana Phouma, attempts were made to create a neutral coalition government so
that Laos could form a buffer state between Western ally Thailand and communist
North Vietnam, but in the shadow of the Cold War it proved impossible. Instead,
there was a polarization of the US-backed royal government and Pathet Lao,
which was backed by North Vietnam. The fighting between them intensified in the
early 1960's. Laos was now seriously drawn into the Vietnam War, and the United
States launched massive bombings of Pathet Lao-controlled areas and of the Viet
Minh's strategically important transport route between North and South Vietnam,
the Ho Chi Minh Trail.that went through Laos. In 1973, a ceasefire was reached,
after which Pathet Lao controlled most of the country. In 1975, Pathet Lao came
to power and proclaimed the Democratic People's Republic of Laos.
The new government launched a socialist reform policy, and thousands of
officials and military personnel were sent to retraining camps. The consequences
were catastrophic. The majority of the educated population and a total of
approximately 10% of the total population is believed to have left Laos 1975-85. In
the early 1980's, the collectivization of agriculture was abandoned, and since
the mid-1980's, a new development strategy has been introduced. The economy has
been liberalized, and previously nationalized industry sold on to private
individuals. Foreign investors have been welcomed, and in the 1990's, Thailand
has been the largest foreign investor. The reform policy has been implemented
with the support of IMF and World Bank. The recording in ASEANin 1997 has
reaffirmed the economic and foreign policy reorientation, but the Laotian
People's Revolutionary Party, founded in 1955, has maintained its monopoly on
political power and there is no sign of a trend towards political liberalization
and pluralism. Groups of the hmong population have been waging a
low-intensity struggle against the government since 1975.
Laos - religion
According to the constitution, freedom of religion prevails in
Laos. approximately 60% of the population are Buddhists. They are followers of
the Theravada School, the common form of Buddhism in South Asia. Buddhism has
been known in the area since the 1100's, and with the founding of the Laotian
Empire in the mid-1300's. Theravada Buddhism became the state religion. Many folk
religious elements are part of Buddhism in Laos, including belief in spirits.
With the communist takeover in 1975, the monastic order sangha lost its
status in society. For example, the regime forbade the population to give alms
to the monks, who in turn received a ration from the state. The monks, however,
were not subjected to the cruel persecution that befell their comrades in
Cambodia, and in the 1990's it has been possible to trace a greater religious
tolerance on the part of the regime.
The various ethnic minorities in the mountain areas are adherents of
traditional tribal religions and make up approximately 1/3 of
the population. There are 2% Christians and 1% Muslims.
Laos - Constitution
The Constitution of the Republic of Laos dates from 1991 with amendments in
1992. The legislature is vested in a National Assembly of 85 members, which is
elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; all citizens over the age of
18 have the right to vote. The country has one political party, the
Revolutionary Party of the Laotian People. The National Assembly adopts, amends
and repeals laws and may amend the Constitution. Furthermore, the National
Assembly elects or removes the President on a proposal from the Standing
Committee, chaired by the President of the National Assembly and may convene
extraordinary meetings of the Assembly. The president is elected for a five-year
term; he appoints the Prime Minister and other ministers for five-year terms
after approval by the National Assembly.
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