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People group profile · PG020919

The Lahu Shi of Laos

The Lahu Shi of Laos, numbering about 3,600 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic subgroup of the Lahu, a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group indigenous to China and Myanmar.

They are a diaspora people in the Other Tibeto-Burmese people cluster of the Tibetan Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Lahu Shi.

Pray for the Lahu ShiPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Laos
Population
3,600
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Other Tibeto-Burmese
Primary language
Lahu Shi (lhi)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
5% or Greater but Less than 10%
GSEC
5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
Lostness priority
Moderately Reached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Lahu Shi are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.

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

Next steps for the Lahu Shi

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Animism · Ethnoreligion

80% adherents

Primary language

Lahu Shi · Sino-Tibetan family

100% speak Lahu Shi

Gospel resources in Lahu Shi

  • Bible available
  • 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 Lahu Shi

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

Download a prayer guide

Lahu Shi, Yellow Lahu in other countries

The same people (ROP3 111024) is reported in 3 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
Lahu ShiMyanmar69,000Engaged yet Unreached
Lahu ShiThailand15,500No Longer Unreached
Lahu ShiUnited States1,500No Longer Unreached

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