The
history of Laos is mostly the history of domination and colonial rule. The original
people of Laos were of Austroasiatic group who had mastered the skills to survive in this region without agriculture and were comfortable with the landscape. However
Laos’s history was first recorded and grew in importance during the rule of Lan Xang. The kingdom of Lan Xang was in full control of Laos for about three centuries. It emerged in the mid of the 14th century and finally declined in the 17th century. It was the king of this dynasty who was responsible for the introduction of Buddhism in this country which is now the most popular
religion of Laos.
After the complete fall of the Lan Xang dynasty the other power which took over the control of Laos is the Siam or the Siamese dynasty of Thailand. After the eviction of the Siam dynasty Laos went under the long colonial rule of the French. After Second World War the Laos was free from the French rule. Even after independence Laos was under the influence of United States of America and from 1975 the impact of Vietnamese authority was witnessed.
For more information on
history of Laos click on the following links: