AREA EANDBOOK for LAOS T. D. bberts Mary Eliabetk Carroll Irving Kaplan .Jan M. Matthews David S. McMarris Charles Towused hrchand writi~gwere completaQ on December 15, IS4 JUNE 1967 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402-Price $2 11 7 LAO ea Handbook for Laos DA Pam No )berts T.D.Carroll, Mary Elizabeth, overnment print in^ Office. 8/89 FOREWORD This volume is one of a series of handbooks prepared by Foreign Area Studies (FAS) of The American University, designed to be useful to military and other personnel who need a convenient com- pilation of basic facts about the social, economic, political and military institutions and practices of various countries. The emphasis is on objective description of the nation's present society and the kinds of possible or probable change that might be ex- pected in the future. The handbook seeks to present as full and as balanced an integrated exposition as limitations on space and research time permit. It was compiled from information available in openly published material. Extensive bibliographies are pro- vided to permit recourse to other published sources for more de- tailed information. There has been no attempt to express any specific point of view or to make policy recommendations. The contents of the handbook represent the work of the authors and FAS and do not represent the official view of the United States Government. An effort has been made to make the handbook as comprehensive as possible. It can be expected, however, that the material, inter- pretations and conclusions are subject to modification in the light of new information and developments. Such corrections, additions and suggestions for factual, interpretive or other change as readers may have will be welcomed for use in future revisions. Comments may be addressed to : The Director Foreign Area Studies The American Universiw 5010 Wisconsin Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C., 20016 PREFACE This volume is a revision of the Area Handbook for Laos first issued by Foreign Area Studies (then the Washington Human Relations Area Files) in 1958 and republished with an updating preface in March 1964. The purpose of this new edition is to con- sider the events and changes that have taken place and to utilize new source materials that have become available since the earlier volume was published. When the original edition was written in 1958, Laos, after 5 years of insurrectionary warfare waged against the Royal Govern- ment by the Pathet Lao, was in the course of forming a Govern- ment of National Union, which was intended to bring together and reconcile the contending factions. This attempt at unification failed. By 1966 forces of the Pathet Lao, inspired and backed by the Communist government of North Vietnam, held nearly half the country in a sort of military stalemate, interrupted by sporadic outbursts of fighting. The territory controlled by the Pathet Lao was inaccessible both to the Royal Government and to neutral observers. Laos was a fragile buffer in 1966, squeezed between Communist and non-Communist countries, sustained in a precarious but offi- cially recognized neutrality largely by United States aid. Its im- portance as one of the components of what had been Indochina was overshadowed by the critical march of events in South Viet- nam. The Royal Government pinned its hopes for survival on the preservation of its neutralist stance while trying to develop a national unity the country had never enjoyed. Election of a new National Assembly took place on January 1, 1967, after completion of the research and writing of the present handbook. The Pathet Lao boycotted the election, calling it illegal. They made no great effort to interfere, and the process was rela- tively free of incidents. A majority of the seats was won by sup- porters of Prince Souvanna Phouma, the neutralist prime minister. The results were much as expected and represented a definite set- back for the right-wing opposition. Analysis and description of the main sociological, political and economic aspects of the society of Laos involve the usual difficulties encountered in studying an underdeveloped country which is pass- ing through a process of modernization and change. These diffi- culties have been complicated by the continuing state of crisis in the country and by Pathet Lao control of much of the territory. Recent information from the Pathet Lao areas is either not avail- able or extremely biased and unreliable. Consequently, there are questions that cannot be answered, and some parts of the total picture are missing. Efforts have been made, however, to identify the gaps and their possible implications. The place names used in this handbook conform wherever pos- sible to those approved in January 1963 by the United States Board on Geographic Names. Other Laotian words and the names of individuals are given in the most commonly known form, which is a French transliteration in most cases. The short glossary in- cluded as an appendix is not in any way intended to be exhaustive, but rather to provide a quick reference guide covering unfamiliar terms that a visitor to the country might most often encounter. LAOS TABLE OF CONTENTS Pace iii PREFACE __-----------.-------.----------------.----------------- SECTION I. SOCIAL Chapter 1. General Character of the Society- - - --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2. Physical Environment ___--___---------------------- Topography-Monsoon and Forest-Resources and Adaptation-Boundaries-Transportation System-Set- tlement Patterns 3. Historical Setting -__----------------.-------------- The Advent of the Lao People-Lan Xang-Division and French Rule--World War I1 and Transition-Inde- pendence and Civil War-Awareness of History 4. Population and Labor Force ___---------------------- Population Structure-Population Dynamics-Struc- ture and Dynamics of the Labor Force 5. Ethnic Groups and Languages .................... --- Ethnic and Linguistic Classification-The Distribu- tion of Ethnic Groups-The Peoples of Laos--Attitudes and Relations Among Ethnic Groups-Language and Communication 6. Social Structure --_---.---------------------------- Social Stratification-The Lao Village-Tribal Struc- ture 7. Family ---___-_________-_-___------------------------ Lao Family and Kinship-Family and Kinship in Tribal Communities 8. Living Conditions .................................. Health-Patterns of Living and LeisureLiving Standards-Welfare 9. Education ___--_-___-_---__----------------------- Education in the Past-The Formal Education Sys- tem in 1966Teaching Staff 10. Artistic and Intellectual Expression___-----_--------- Architecture and Sculpture-Folk ArtInstrumental Music-Dance and Theater-Religious Literature- Secular Literature 11. Religron. ____________-___-_------------------------ Buddhism-Spirit (Phi) Worship-Religious Rites and Festivals-Tribal Religion 12. Social Values ----__----.-------------------------- Responsibility for the Self-The Middle Way and the Accumulation of Merit-Work and the Pursuit of Pleasure -Social Inequality SECTION 11. POLITICAL Chapter 13. The Governmental System .-____--_------.----------- Principles of Government-The Executive-The Leg- islature-The Judiciary-Territorial Organization- Public. Service 14. Political Dynamics .. Social Basis of Political Power-Political Conditions -Politically Influential Groups-The Party System 15. Foreign Relations _-_---.----------.---------------- Policy Formation and Objectives-International Con- ferences and Organizations-Relations With Other Countries 16. Public Information .. - - - --.-- - - -.--. -- - - - - -- -.. ----- Channels of Communication-Government Control and Information Activity-Information from Abroad- Antigovernment Propaganda 17. Political Values and Attitudes _..-.------.--.--.-.- Images of the State and the Nation-Attitudes Toward Government-Political Aspirations SECTION 111. ECONOMIC Chapter 18. Character and Structure of the Economy --...------ Problems of Economic Independence--The National Economy Today 19. Agriculture Land Potential-Land Tenure-Organization and Op- eration-Production-Livestock-Forestry-Fin and Hunting-Role of Government 20. Industry Mining-Manufacturing-Construetion-Power Re- sources-Role of Government 21. Labor Relations and Organization _--.-.-------------- Conditions of Employment-Labor and Employers- Role of Government 22. Domestic Trade __.-----------------.----.---------- Patterns of Rural Trade-Urban Trade-Transpor- tation 23. Foreign Economic Relations ..__.__-.------------ Composition of Trade-Direction of TradeFinanc- ing International Transactions-United States Foreign Aid-Other Foreign Assistance 24. Financial and Monetary System _--_-----__----------- Currency-The National Bank of Laos-Other Finan- cial Institutions-The Budget-Financing the Deficit SECTION IV. NATIONAL SECURITY Chapter 25. Public Order and Safety__._.---------------------- Social Controls-Criminal Courts and Procedure- The National Police-The Penal System 26. The Armed Forces -.--.___-_______--__-__-_-------- Military Tradition in National Life--Foreign Influ- ences-The Armed Forces and the Government-Mili- tary Establishment and the National Economy-Man- power-Mission and Organization of the Armed Forces -Conditions of Service-Uniforms, Insignia and Deco- rations-Logistics LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Laos 2. Relief and Drainage of Laos_-..-. .-- .-. .-- ._- .----- .---- -.. 3. Mean Annual Rainfall of Laos -...- .---.- ..----.--.-----.- 4. Vegetation of Laos _.._-.--_------------...----.-------