The official History of Laos as introduced in government textbooks, is conventionally traced to the establishment of the kingdom of Lan Xang by Fa Ngum in 1353. This is a relatively conservative date to begin the history of the nation, providing a contrast to the course taken by Thai historiography (which reaches back implausibly far into proto-history). By the 14th century, when this "official history" begins, the speakers of early Lao-related languages had probably developed a reasonable base of population among the prior inhabitants of (what is now) Laos over the prior century or two. The borders of the modern state of Laos were established by the French colonial government in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Read more about History Of Laos: Early History, Before Full Independence in 1953, The Period of The Kingdom of Laos, The Period of The Communist Government/contemporary Period
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