Lao Wieng
Encyclopedia
The Lao Wieng are a Tai
sub-ethnic group of the Isan
region. Of the approximately 50,000 proclaimed Lao Wieng live in villages through the region, especially the provinces of Prachinburi
, Udon Thani
, Nakhon Pathom
, Chai Nat, Lopburi
, Saraburi
, Phetchaburi
and Roi Et
with a significant number in Bangkok as migrant labourers or in search of better economic opportunities.
. Many who are in fact Lao Wieng may only consider themselves Isan
or Lao
.
people from the Vientiane
region (Thai: เวียงจันทน์) in modern-day Laos
. After the fall of Lanxang, the three successor kingdoms were over-run by Siam and forced population transfers by the Siamese into Isan were undertaken. Much of Isan was settled this way, and is one of the main reasons for the shared Lao culture of Laos and Isan. Originally slaves and forced into providing corvée
labour, the Lao Wieng were freed and integrated into the general Isan population.
or Isan
identity, but some maintain their distinctiveness. Like their neighbours, they share Theravada Buddhism, Isan language
, and rice farming, with only slight differences in traditional clothing and dialect.
Tai
Tai may refer to:*Tai peoples*Tai languages*Tai , a Chinese surname*Mount Tai, in Shandong, China*Lake Tai, on the border of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, China...
sub-ethnic group of the Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
region. Of the approximately 50,000 proclaimed Lao Wieng live in villages through the region, especially the provinces of Prachinburi
Prachinburi
Prachinburi is a town in Thailand, capital of the Prachinburi Province....
, Udon Thani
Udon Thani
Udon Thani is a city in Isan, north-east Thailand, and the capital of Udon Thani Province.-Location:The province of Udon Thani has a population of 1,467.200, the city alone 500.000. Geographical location and is approximately 560 km from Bangkok...
, Nakhon Pathom
Nakhon Pathom
Nakhon Pathom is a city in central Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Pathom Province. One of the most important landmarks is the giant Phra Pathom Chedi...
, Chai Nat, Lopburi
Lopburi
Lopburi ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is located about 150 km north-east of Bangkok. As of 2006 it has a population of 26,500...
, Saraburi
Saraburi
Saraburi is a town in central Thailand, capital of the Saraburi Province. As of 2005, it has a population of 61,900, and covers the complete tambon Pak Phriao of the Mueang Saraburi district....
, Phetchaburi
Phetchaburi
Phetchaburi , also known as Phetburi, is a town in central Thailand, capital of the Phetchaburi Province. In Thai, Phetchaburi means city of diamonds . It is approximately 160km south of Bangkok, at the northern end of the Thai Peninsula...
and Roi Et
Roi Et
Roi Et is a town in Northeastern Thailand, capital of the Roi Et Province. It covers the whole tambon Nai Mueang of Mueang Roi Et district. As of 2006 it has a population of 34,229....
with a significant number in Bangkok as migrant labourers or in search of better economic opportunities.
Alternate Names
The Lao Wieng are also referred to as Tai Wieng (ไทเวียง), Lao Vientiane (ลาวเวียงจันทน์), Tai Vientiane (ไทเวียงจันทน์) or simply as Wieng (เวียง). These names are also used in Laos to refer to the inhabitants of Vientiane or its descendants in ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Many who are in fact Lao Wieng may only consider themselves Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
or Lao
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
.
History
The Lao Wieng, as their name suggests, are descendants of LaoLao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...
people from the Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
region (Thai: เวียงจันทน์) in modern-day Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
. After the fall of Lanxang, the three successor kingdoms were over-run by Siam and forced population transfers by the Siamese into Isan were undertaken. Much of Isan was settled this way, and is one of the main reasons for the shared Lao culture of Laos and Isan. Originally slaves and forced into providing corvée
Corvée
Corvée is unfree labour, often unpaid, that is required of people of lower social standing and imposed on them by the state or a superior . The corvée was the earliest and most widespread form of taxation, which can be traced back to the beginning of civilization...
labour, the Lao Wieng were freed and integrated into the general Isan population.
Culture
The Lao Wieng are a sub-group of the general Isan (ethnic Lao of northeastern Thailand) distinguished from other Isan people by the location of their ancestors. Most have assumed either ThaiThai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
or Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
identity, but some maintain their distinctiveness. Like their neighbours, they share Theravada Buddhism, Isan language
Isan language
Isan language is the collective name for the dialects of the Lao language as they are spoken in Thailand. It is spoken by approximately 20 million people, which is nearly one-third of the entire population of Thailand, predominantly in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. There are also large...
, and rice farming, with only slight differences in traditional clothing and dialect.