Last modified: 2005-12-10 by phil nelson
Keywords: laos |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
image by Željko Heimer
Proportions: 2:3
Usage Code:
Local Name:
ສາທາລະນະລັດປະຊາທິປະໄຕ
ປະຊາຊົນລາວ
ISO Code: LA LAO 418
FIPS 10-4 Code: LA
MARC Code: la
IOC Code: LAO
The current flag was adopted in 1975 and was the flag of the Pathet Lao. It replaced the flag used since 1952. The flag of Laos is one of the few communist-style flags not featuring a star.
The colors of the flag represent:
Red: the blood shed in the fight for freedom;
Blue: wealth;
White: represents the full moon over the Mekong River as well as unity under the communist government.
The blue in Laotian flag meaning the Mekong River. The white circle is the
symbol of reunification of two Laotian regions divided by the river (Robert
Lacontre in Le Figaro 6.1.78)
Jaume Ollé, 11 September 1999
Smith says that the white disk represents the promise of a bright new future for the country.
Znamierowski says that white represents the unity of the multiethnic [Laotian] society under Communist rule.
DK Pocket Book says:
I recently read the book, "The Politics of Ritual and Remembrance: Laos Since 1975" (which is quite interesting despite the apparently boring title.) In it there is a long footnote about the current flag of Laos and the previous one. About the previous one (1952-1975,) it was originally the flag of the Kingdom of Luang Phabang (one of the three Kingdoms that Laos broke into about 200 years ago, the other 2 being Champasak in the south which gave up all sovereignty in 1946 and Vientiane which was destroyed by the Thais in 1828.) The three-headed elephant is the mount of the Hindu god Indra who is very popular in Laos. The story that it represents the three kingdoms becoming one was made up much later as is a bit ironic considering that it originally represented only one of those kingdoms!
In the 40's a group called "Free Laos" or "Lao Issara"
sprang up to fight the French, and they declared their own state after the
occupying Japanese surrendered in 1945. The state lasted about 6 months (and
was never recognized) before the French regained control. The Lao Issara
wanted a national flag that would have no royal symbol on it to be separate
from the royal flag (as Thailand had done.) The design they choose was the
current Lao flag, though I don't know if they ever officially made it the flag
of Laos. Whatever the case, the communist Pathet Lao liked to pretend that
they were the successors to the Lao Issara.
Robert Wilson, 26 December 2002
The construction sheet given reveals that the middle stripe is indeed
double the width of each of the red stripes, and that the disk diameter is 2/5
of hoist.
Željko Heimer, 4 April 2002
The Constitution of the Lao People's Democratic Republic was promulgated on 14 August 1991 during the Sixth Session of the People's Supreme Assembly Second Legislature (13-15 August 1991).
Source: Constitutions - What they tell us about national flags and coats of arms. P. Vagnat & Jos Poels [vap00].Chapter IX
Language, Script, National Emblem, National Flag, National Anthem and Capital City
Article 75. The Lao language and Lao script are the language and script officially used.
Article 76. The National Emblem of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is a circle depicting in the bottom part one- half of a cog wheel and red ribbon with the inscription "Lao People's Democratic Republic", and decorated with crescent-shaped ears of rice on the two sides and red ribbon stretched between the middle of the rice ears with the inscription "Peace, Independence, Democracy, Unity and Prosperity". A picture of that Luang Pagoda is located between the tips of the rice ears. A road, a paddy field a forest, and a hydroelectric dam are depicted in the middle of the circle.
Article 77. The National Flag of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is dark blue with red edges and a white moon. The width of the flag is two-thirds of its length. The area of the red edges on each side is one-half of the dark blue area. The area of the white moon is equal to four-fifths of the dark blue area.
Article 78. The national anthem of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is "Xat Lao" song.
Article 79. The Capital city of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is Vientiane.
The full text of the Constitution is available on the website of the Lao
embassy in the United States.
Ivan Sache, 27 November 2005