The beginning of Laos' history, the Lansang Kingdom.

 Buddhism, peace, and independence have significant meanings in Laos. In the national sentence, the Pha That Luang, a symbol of Laos Buddhism, is also surrounded by a ribbon marking "peace, independence, and democracy." The reason why this value has become important can be found in the history of Laos, and the Lan Xang kingdom is the starting point. In particular, the history of Laos, which is short but thick, is engraved intact in the Emerald Buddha statue, Phra Kaew.

● is the beginning of the twin kingdom.

Before the Lansang Kingdom, Laos was an area where several small countries continued to compete. Raised in the royal family of Cambodia's Khmer Empire, Faungum attacks and succeeds in occupying the current Laos area under the order of King Khmer. He established the capital in Luang Prabang, became independent of the Khmer Empire, and in 1353, he established the first unified kingdom of Laos.

"Ran pair" means "million elephants" in Laotian. Muangsua (Luang Prabang), the center of the Lansang Kingdom, has long been famous for having many elephants. At that time, as kings and generals led the army on elephants in Southeast Asian countries, the fact that there were many elephants was considered a representation of strong national power itself. In addition, Buddhism began to settle in Laos in earnest in the era of paungum. At that time, Prabang, a sacred golden Buddha statue, was brought from Sri Lanka to the Lansang Kingdom.

There is also a legend related to this. It is said that the Buddha statue from Cambodia did not escape from Vientiane and could not move to Luang Prabang, the capital at the time. For this reason, it is said that the Buddha statue was placed in Vientiane. However, Paung-eum, the first king and great military leader of the Lansang Kingdom, was eventually expelled from the throne because he failed to scholarship the nobility and local forces.

● The greatest prosperity and peace.

After Paung Eum, his eldest son, Sam Saen Thai, takes over the throne. The king's name "Samsentai" refers to the number of adult men who lived in the Ransang Kingdom at the time. Ssamssen means 300,000 and Thai means Thai people. The Thai people are people who lived in Laos and northern central Thailand today.

Ssamsentai ascended the throne at the young age of 18, but ruled for 43 years by reorganizing the administrative system and operating the state stably. It was also at this time that we faced the most prosperous period in Laos' history. At the same time, the peace of the Lansang Kingdom was maintained for a long time. There was also confusion after the death of Ssamshentai, but the 14th king Wisunarat reigned and faced a stable period again.

Wisunnarat also built a temple called Wat Wisunnarat in Luang Prabang after his name. Later, Potisarat, who inherited the throne, recognized Buddhism as the only religion in Laos. At that time, he began to take control of the kingdom of Ayutaya in central Thailand, and began to value Vientiane in the south rather than Luang Prabang.

● Age of confusion

Setthathirat, who succeeded King Potisarat and took the throne of the Lansang Kingdom, will bring the sacred Buddha statue "Frakau" from the Lansang Kingdom to the Lansang Kingdom. In addition, in consideration of Burmese, which was called power at the time, today's Myanmar, the capital was transferred from Luang Prabang to Vientiane.

Settatirat protected the Lansang Kingdom from the threat of Burmese at the time, and built That Luang and Wat Phra Kaew. Since then, he has been ruled by Burmese twice, but the Lansang Kingdom is in a golden age with the reign of Souliya Vongsa, the last king of the Lansang Dynasty. Peace has continued for as long as 67 years, but lastly, Laos splits into three kingdoms and enters a chaotic period again.

▶ The fall of the kingdom and the new Laos.

Laos' national power weakened due to continued division. Even today, Thailand's Siam dynasty, which had the capital in Bangkok, takes over Vientiane, the capital of the twin kingdoms, by force under the pretext of diplomacy. At that time, Siam moved to Bangkok the sacred Buddhas Prakau and Pabang and exerted influence on Laos for a long time. Currently, the emerald Buddha statue, Prakau, is located in Wat Prakau, located in the royal palace of Bangkok.

Luang Prabang went through Burmese invasion and Siam invasion, and many temples were destroyed by fire. Laos, which has completely lost its power, is even under French long colonial rule. At the end of colonial rule, he suffered from a civil war between anti-French nationalists and the Lao Communist Party. During the Second Indochina War, U.S. air bombing caused tremendous casualties. In 1975, "Pattet Lao" won the civil war and became the current "Lao People's Democratic Republic."