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People group profile · PG009176

The So of Laos

The So of Laos, numbering about 182,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Indigenous Mon–Khmer–speaking ethnic group of central Laos and northeastern Thailand.

They are an indigenous people in the Mon-Khmer people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Sô.

Pray for the SoPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the So people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: So

Fast facts

Country
Laos
Population
182,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Mon-Khmer
Primary language
Sô (sss)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
Bolikhamxai, Khammouan, Savannahkhet provinces

Where they live

Gospel status

The So are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the So

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Ethnoreligion

Primary language

Sô · Austroasiatic family

100% speak Sô

Gospel resources in Sô

  • Bible available, published 2014
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the So

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

Download a prayer guide

So in other countries

The same people (ROP3 109364) is reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
SoThailand105,000No Longer Unreached

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