Culture of Laos to connect Lao peoples on both the right and left banks. However, the political history of Laos has been complicated by frequent warfare and colonial conquests by European and regional rivals. As a result, Laos today has cultural influence from France, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Burma and Cambodia. The history of Laos is unique with a national character defined by its diversity in both culture and customs. , Laos has an estimated population of 6.5 million. The Lao government recognizes 47 distinct ethnicities, which are further sub-divided into 149 subgroups. Lao society is traditionally categorized into three broad groups based on
Emblem of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN; the addition of four more rice stalks to represent the whole ten ASEAN nations. The three remaining nations; Laos, Burma, and Cambodia were scheduled to join ASEAN in July 1997, to commemorate this auspicious event, the new emblem of ASEAN was unveiled. Laos and Burma (Myanmar) joined on 23 July 1997, however the admission of Cambodia was postponed to 30 April 1999 due to their internal politic problems. Despite the Cambodian postponed membership, the ASEAN new emblem still consisted of ten rice stalks unveiled in July 1997. Emblem of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations The Emblem of the