Tai folk religion in the context of "Erawan shrine"

The Lao people are a Tai ethnic group native to Southeast Asia, primarily inhabiting Laos and northeastern Thailand. They speak the Lao language, part of the Kra–Dai language family, and are the dominant ethnic group in Laos. Significant Lao communities also reside in Thailand’s Isan region, where they form a regional majority, as well as in smaller numbers in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

Culturally and linguistically, the Lao share close ties with other Tai peoples, particularly the Thai. The Isan people of Thailand, for instance, are ethnically Lao but nationally Thai. Theravada Buddhism is central to Lao identity, shaping cultural practices and social norms, though animist traditions persist, especially in rural communities. This syncretism reflects a blend of indigenous beliefs and Buddhist influences.