Lao vs Laotian in English Use of Lao LAO In the Lao language and as well as in Isan which Isan people also call LAO and the Thai language LAO can mean someone that is from the Lao People s Democratic Republic of Laos as well as specifically ethnic Lao people which excludes the Hmong Khmu and others or all people of Laos which includes the Hmong Khmu and others Isan people use LAO to also refer to themselves and their language since most Isan people descend from Lao people from Vientiane Champassak Louang Phrabang and other areas that are now in the Lao People s Democratic Republic Since this article is in ENGLISH English language conventions should be used LAO in English ONLY refers to the ethnic Lao people and DOES NOT INCLUDE the Hmong Khmu and other minorities that live in the Lao People s Democratic Republic Use of Laotian LAOTIAN LAOTIAN means anything that has to do with the country of Laos as a whole LAOTIAN as a term in English INCLUDES the Hmong Khmu and other people that currently live in Laos and have Laotian citizenship If someone want to specifically refer to people of any ethnic background of Laos LAOTIAN should be used Lao including excluding Isan There seems to be no consensus on whether or not Isan are Lao people But other articles on Wikipedia seem to not differentiate this nationality vs ethnicity debate There are Swiss Italian people i e people who are ethnically Italian but live in Switzerland not Italy The article about the Italian people includes Italian Americans Swiss Italians and many other people of Italian descent besides those in Italy Obviously those in Switzerland do not have any allegiance to the Italian Government but it does not diminish their Italianess The ethnic Germans can be found across Europe and many outside of Germany but these people are ethnic Germans identify as such and most likely have no allegiance to Germany The easiest solution given how the English language works Make one page Laotian People anyone from Laos excluding Isan people and others and make one page for Lao People which includes Isan people Political allegiance to the Thai king does not mean that Isan people stopped eating sticky rice listening to morlam believe in Phaya Nak celebrate Boun Phra Vet think the Mekong River is sacred or refer to themselves as Lao And Isan people have not stopped speaking the Lao language it just got a name change The Isan language article has been vandalised so to speak with someone changing Isan to Isan Lao most likely by a Lao person since this nomenclature is absent in the speech of Isan people who refer to themselves as Lao or Isan or Thai Isan There is confusion between Thai and Lao culture because it is almost the SAME Just like it s hard to tell Canadians and Americans apart because with the exclusion of the Qu becois people in Canada and America have the same culture language and share a border Laos and Thailand are no different The only thing that prevented Laos from being part of Thailand is the French and the French are also the only ones that made the Isan people Thai i e part of the Thai nation but even the French were unable to stop Lao and Isan people from being a common people Isan was part of Lanxang just like Laos is so both groups can claim access to the same heritage influences and what not Lao people make up only 50 of the population in Isan Lao speakers make up 88 of the region so it is more homogenously Lao than all of Laos Blame the French for the uneven distribution of the Lao people but yes The Central Thai i e Bangkok people and People of the Chao Phraya River valley have worked very hard to integrate Isan into Thailand and claim Isan culture which is Lao as part of its cultural milieu There are also Lao that claim that the Thais have stolen from Lao culture but since Thai and Lao and Isan are all descended from the same Tai peoples of course there are similarities There were even Isan communists supporting integration of Isan into Laos up until the 1980s If the Isan people are not going to be listed as Lao People than the following Lao people should be removed because they are Isan by birth Mun Bhuridatta born in Ubon Ratchathani Province I m pretty sure this is Isan Nouhak Phoumsavanh born in Mukdahan Province again Isan Mahasilavong born in Roi Et Province Isan not even on the Mekong River