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Which Tai languages are the official languages of Thailand and Laos?
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Tai languages
Major divisions of the Tai languages and related languages.
The official languages of Thailand and Laos are Thai and Lao, respectively, both of which belong to the Tai languages family.4
- Thai: Standard Thai is the national and official language of Thailand. It is based on the language spoken in central Thailand and is used throughout the country in government, education, and media.1
- Lao: The Lao language is the official language of Laos. While it is closely related to the Tai dialects spoken in northeastern Thailand, the distinction between Lao and these dialects is considered more political than linguistic.23
Both languages are prominent members of the Southwestern group of the Tai language family.4