# Pheng Xat Lao

"Pheng Xat Lao" (Lao: ເພງຊາດລາວ, "Song of the Lao People") is the national anthem of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. It was written and composed in 1941 by Thongdy Sounthonevichit. It was adopted as the national anthem of the Kingdom of Laos in 1945. The original lyrics were revised after the Communists triumphed in the Laotian Civil War and established the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975, with the new lyrics written by Sisana Sisane.

## History

In 1893, Laos became a protectorate of France within its colonial empire. The French claimed their annexation was to protect Laos from "hostile neighbors" such as China and especially Siam, which had been militarily forced to cede Laos to the European colonial power. In reality, France simply ruled Laos as a colony, bringing in Vietnamese to work in its governing. The transferring of control from 1 master to another meant that nationalist sentiment did not develop as it did in formerly independent Vietnam. The outbreak of the Second World War saw the fall of France to Nazi Germany. The right-wing government in Siam saw this as a possible opportunity to regain formerly Thai territory lost to France, especially the land located on the Thai side of the Mekong River. To counteract this, the French colonial government began promoting the re-emergence of Lao nationalism.
Because of this liberalization, some patriotic songs were composed, each 1 emphasizing Lao "uniqueness". "Pheng Xat Lao" was one of them, having been composed by Thongdy Sounthonevichit in 1941 with lyrics written by Maha Phoumi under the name "Lao Hak Xat" (the patriotic Laos). It was chosen as the national anthem in 1945, when the king was forced by the Japanese occupiers to declare Laos independent from French rule. France regained control of French Indochina after Japan's surrender in 1945. In 1947, France granted limited autonomy to Laos within the French Union, and "Pheng Xat Lao" became the national anthem.
When the Pathet Lao emerged victorious in the Laotian Civil War in 1975, thanks to North Vietnamese assistance, the communist government abolished the monarchy and changed the lyrics to reflect the ideology of the Marxist government. As a result, the anthem became all-encompassing, mentioning all ethnic groups in Laos, instead of focusing on the Lao race and Buddhism. The melody was retained.

## Lyrics
### 1975 lyrics

| Lao original | Romanization | IPA transcription | English translation |
| ຊາດລາວຕັ້ງແຕ່ໃດມາ ລາວທຸກທົ່ວຫນ້າເຊີດຊູສຸດໃຈ ຮ່ວມແຮງຮ່ວມຈິດຮ່ວມໃຈ ສາມັກຄີກັນເປັນກຳລັງດຽວ ເດັດດ່ຽວພ້ອມກັນກ້າວຫນ້າ ບູຊາຊູກຽດຂອງລາວ ສົ່ງເສີມໃຊ້ສິດເປັນເຈົ້າ ລາວທຸກຊົນເຜົ່າສະເໝີພາບກັນ ບໍ່ໃຫ້ພວກຈັກກະພັດ ແລະພວກຂາຍຊາດເຂົ້າມາລົບກວນ ລາວທັງມວນຊູເອກະລາດ ອິດສະຫລະພາບຂອງຊາດລາວໄວ້ ຕັດສິນໃຈສູ້ຊີງເອົາໄຊ ພາຊາດກ້າວໄປສູ່ຄວາມວັດທະນາ | Sāt Lāo tangtǣ daimā Lāo thuk thūa nā sœ̄t sū sutchai Hūam hǣng, hūam chit, hūam chai, samakkhi kan pen kamlang dīao. Det dīao phǭmkan kāonā, būsā sū kīat khǭng Lāo, Songsœ̄m sai sit pen chao Lāo thuk son phao samœ̄; phāp kan. Bǭ hai phūak chakkaphat læ phūak khaj sāt khao mā lopkhūan, Lāo thang mūan sū ēkalāt, itsalaphāp khǭng sāt Lāo wai Tatsinchai sū sing ao sai phā sāt kāo pai sū khūam watthanā. | [saːt̚ laːw taŋ.tɛː daj.maː] [laːw tʰuk̚ tʰuːə̯n naː sɤːt̚ suː sut̚.t͡ɕaj] [huːə̯m hɛːŋ huːə̯m t͡ɕit̚ huːə̯m t͡ɕaj] [saː.mak̚.kʰiː kan pen kam.laŋ diːə̯w] [det̚ diːə̯w pʰɔːm.kan kaːw.naː] [buː.saː suː kiːə̯t̚ kʰɔːŋ laːw] [soŋ.sɤːm saj sit̚ pen t͡ɕaw] [laːw tʰuk̚ son pʰaw sa.mɤː pʰaːp̚ kan] [bɔː haj pʰuːə̯k̚ t͡ɕak̚.ka.pʰat̚] [lɛ pʰuːə̯k̚ kʰaj saːt̚ kʰaw maː lop̚.kʰuːə̯n] [laːw tʰaŋ muːə̯n suː ek̚.ka.laːt̚] [it̚.sa.la.pʰap̚ kʰɔːŋ saːt laːw waj] [tat̚.sin.t͡ɕaj suː siŋ aw saj] [pʰaː saːt̚ kaːw paj suː kʰuːə̯m wat̚.tʰa.naː] | For all time, the Lao people Have glorified their motherland, United in heart, Spirit and vigor as one. Resolutely moving forwards, Respecting and increasing the dignity of the Lao people And proclaiming the right to be their own masters. The Lao people of all origins are equal And will no longer allow imperialists And traitors to harm them. The entire people will safeguard the independence And the freedom of the Lao nation. They are resolved to struggle for victory In order to lead the nation to prosperity. |

### Original lyrics (1947–1975)

| Lao original | Romanization | Literal English translation | Poetic English translation (singable) |
| ຊາຕລາວຕັ້ງແຕ່ເດີມມາ ຂຶ້ນຊື່ລືຊາຢູ່ໃນອາຊີ ຊາວລາວຜູກພັນໄມຕຣີ ຮ່ວມສາມັຄຄີຮັກຫໍ່ໂຮມກັນ ຮັກຊາຕຮັກປະເທສເຮົາ ຮັກເຈົ້າປົກເກສເກສາ ໂຮມຮັກຮ່ວມສາສນາ ແຕ່ບູຮານມາຮັກສາດິນແດນ ບໍ່ໃຫ້ຊາຕໃດມາລວນ ຮາວີຮົບກວນຍາດແຍ່ງຊີງເອົາ ໃຜຂືນເຂົ້າມາລູ່ວຸ່ນວາຍ ສູ້ຈົນຕົວຕາຍຕ້ານທານສັຕຣູ ຊ່ວຍເຊີດຊູເລືອດເນື້ອເຊື້ອເຜົ່າ ຟື້ນຟູກູ້ເອົາບັຣເທົາທຸກຂ໌ກັນ | Sāt Lāo tangtǣ dœ̄mmā Khưn sư lư sā yūnai āsi Sāo Lāo phūkphan maitri Hūam sāmakkhi hak hō̜ ōmkan. Haksat hak pathēt hao Hak chao pak kēt kēsā Hōm hak hūam sāsanā Tǣ būhān mā hak sā tindǣn. Bō̜ hai sāt dai mā luān Hā vi hab kuān nyāt nyǣng sing ao Phai khưn khao mā lū vunvāi Su chan tao tāi tān thān sattrū. Sūay sœ̄t su lư̄at nư̄a sư̄a phao Phư̄n phū kū ao banthao thuk kan. | In the old days, our Lao people Were famous all over Asia. Because the Lao Were united in love. Still today, they love their people and country And rally around their Kings. They preserve the religion of their fathers, And protect the soil of their ancestors. They will never allow another nation to threaten them Or to occupy their territory. Every enemy who enters their country Will find them ready to fight until death. All together, they can restore the ancient glory of their blood, and they will stand together in the days of danger. | Once our Laotian race In Asia highly honored stood And at that time the folk Of Laos were united in love Today they love their race And rally round their chiefs They guard the land and the Religion of their ancestors They will resist each foe Who may oppress them or invade And such invaders will Be met with battle unto death They'll restore the fame of Laos And through ills united stand. |