Romanization of Lao in the context of "Northeastern Thailand"

Big Brother Mouse (Lao: ອ້າຍໜູນ້ອຍ / ອ້າຽໜູນ້ອຽ, romanized: ʼāi nū nǭi) is a not-for-profit publishing project in Laos.

Big Brother Mouse publishes books that improve literacy and quality of life; and on making those books accessible, particularly in rural Lao villages. Books are scarce in Laos. Many people have never read anything except old textbooks and government pamphlets.

The Pathet Lao (Lao: ປະເທດລາວ, romanized: Pa thēt Lāo, lit. 'Lao Nation'), officially the Lao People's Liberation Army, was a communist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the 20th century. It ultimately gained control over the entire country of Laos in 1975, after the Laotian Civil War. The Pathet Lao were associated and dependent on Vietnamese communists and North Vietnam since their foundation, with the group being established after advice from Hanoi to create a Laotian counterpart of the Viet Minh or Viet Cong. During the civil war, it was effectively organised, equipped and led by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). They fought against the anti-communist forces in the Vietnam War. Eventually, the term became the generic name for Laotian communists.Under orders from Mao Zedong, the People's Liberation Army provided 115,000 guns, 920,000 grenades and 170 million bullets, and trained more than 700 of its military officers.

Vientiane (Lao: ວຽງຈັນ, romanized: Viang Chan, lit. 'sandalwood town', RTGS: Wiang Chan, pronounced [wíaŋ tɕàn]) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Situated on the banks of the Mekong River at the Thai border, it comprises the five urban districts of Vientiane Prefecture and had a population of 840,000 as of the 2023 Census. Established as the capital of the Kingdom of Lan Xang in 1563, Vientiane served as the administrative center during French rule and retains colonial-era architecture alongside Buddhist landmarks such as Pha That Luang, a national symbol of Buddhism, and Haw Phra Kaew, which once housed the Emerald Buddha until its 18th-century relocation to Thailand.

The city functions as Laos' political, economic and transportation hub, emphasizing regional connectivity through infrastructure projects like the Laos–China Railway (LCR). This railway, a component of China's Belt and Road Initiative, terminates in Vientiane after linking Kunming, China, and is slated to connect to Thailand’s rail network via the Mekong Railway Bridge.

The Annamite Range (Lao: ພູ ຫລວງ, romanized: Phū Lūang; Vietnamese: Dãy Trường Sơn) is a major mountain range of Mainland Southeast Asia, extending approximately 1,100 km (680 mi) through Laos, Vietnam, and a small area in northeast Cambodia.

Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/Thai: อีสาน, pronounced [ʔīː.sǎːn] ; Lao: ອີສານ, romanized: Īsān; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pāli 𑀇𑀲𑀸𑀦 isāna or Sanskrit ईशान्य īśānya "northeast") consists of 20 provinces in northeastern Thailand. Isan is Thailand's largest region, on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River (along the Laos–Thailand border) to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Sankamphaeng Range south of Nakhon Ratchasima. To the west, it is separated from northern and central Thailand by the Phetchabun Mountains. Isan covers 167,718 km (64,756 sq mi), making it about half the size of Germany and roughly the size of England and Wales. The total forest area is 25,203 km (9,731 sq mi) or 15 percent of Isan's area.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, northeastern Thailand has been generally known as Isan, while in official contexts the term phak tawan-ok-chiang-nuea (ภาคตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือ; "northeastern region") may be used. The majority population of the Isan region is ethnically Lao, but distinguish themselves not only from the Lao of Laos but also from the Central Thai by calling themselves khon Isan or Thai Isan in general. But some refer to themselves as simply Lao, and academics have recently been referring to them as Lao Isan or as Thai Lao, with the main issue with self-identification as Lao being stigma associated with the Lao identity in Thai society.