The culture of Laos has been highly influenced by Theravada Buddhism. This influence is reflected throughout Laos in its language as well as in art, literature and the performing arts. Theravada (Pāli: theravāda; Sanskrit: स्थविरवाद sthaviravāda; literally, the Way of the Elders) is the oldest surviving Buddhist school, and for many centuries has been the predominant religion of Sri Lanka (about 70% of the population[1]) and most of continental Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand). ... A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ...

Laotian music is dominated by its national instrument, the khaen (a type of bamboo pipe). Bands typically include a singer/rapper (mor lam) and a khaen player (mor khaen) alongside fiddlers and other musicians. Lam saravane is the most popular genre of Laotian music, but ethnic Lao in Thailand have developed an internationally-best selling form called mor lam sing. For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... A khene player in Isan The khene (also spelled kaen) is a mouth-organ whose pipes are connected with a small, hollowed-out wooden reservoir into which air is blown. ... For other uses, see Bamboo (disambiguation). ... A free reed aerophone is a musical instrument where sound is produced as air passes a reed in a chamber, causing the reed to vibrate. ... A khene player in Isan Mor lam (Thai/Isan: หมอลำ) is an ancient Lao form of song in Laos and Isan (Northeastern Thailand). ... “Fiddler” redirects here. ... Lam Saravene is a popular Laotian genre of music with alternating rhythms. ... Mor lam sing (Thai/Isan หมอลำซิ่ง)is a fast-paced, racy, modernized version of the traditional Lao/Isan song form mor lam. ...

One significant archive of ancient Laotian culture is the Plain of Jars in Xieng Khouang province. Plain of Jars: Site 1 The Plain of Jars is a large group of historic cultural sites in Laos containing thousands of stone jars, which lie scattered throughout the Xieng Khouang plain in the Laotian Highlands at the northern end of the Annamese Cordillera, the principal mountain range of Indochina. ... The Xiangkhoang Plateau is a plateau in the north of Laos. ...

The languages of Laos and Thailand to the untrained ear may seem similar; however, they are in reality very different. Although most Laotian people will understand spoken and written Thai and even speak Thai, most Thai people outside of Issan (North/North East Thailand) do not understand Lao. The writing of the two languages is also rather different and in general very few Thai read Lao.

The main similarity in the two languages is that in general many of the nouns are the same - however, most verbs, adjectives etc are different; also Lao does not use male and female ending particles as used in Thai (i.e. Kaa (Female) and Kap (Male))

See also

• Cuisine of Laos
• Music of Laos

A Lao meal. ... Laos is dominated by the Lao, and includes minorities of Hmong and Mien, among others. ...

External links

• Laos Cultural Profile (Ministry of Information and Culture/Visiting Arts)