Kelao farmers display strong affection for their oxen, and carefully tend to their needs. Presently, the Kelao live in compact farming villages where they work many hours a day, especially at planting and harvesting time.
Families typically live in houses built of mud bricks or stone, with tile or straw roofs.
Most of the homes have electricity. The Kelao are farmers who raise corn and sweet potatoes, and where possible, grain, wheat, and rice. Formerly, many of them were tenant farmers, paying their rents in opium, grain, or labor services. In recent years, the state has encouraged commercial production of tobacco, palm trees, and medicinal herbs. Some other occupations include cork production, bamboo weaving, and making straw sandals.