People group profile · PG020944
The Black Thai of Laos
The Black Thai of Laos, numbering about 65,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Tai-Kadai-speaking ethnolinguistic group indigenous to the border area of southwest China, northwest Vietnam and northeastern Laos.
They are an indigenous people in the Tai people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Tai Dam.
Fast facts
- Country
- Laos
- Population
- 65,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Tai
- Primary language
- Tai Dam (blt)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Houaphan, Louangphabang, Luang Namtha, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Viengchan, Xiangnabouli, and Xiengkhoang provinces
Where they live
Gospel status
The Black Thai 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 Black Thai
- 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
Animism · Ethnoreligion
100% adherents
Primary language
Tai Dam · Tai-Kadai family
100% speak Tai Dam
Gospel resources in Tai Dam
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Tai Dam)
Bibles
- 2013 EPI · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Black Thai
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
Tai Dam in other countries
The same people (ROP3 109709) is reported in 5 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Tai | Vietnam | 817,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Black Thai | China | 48,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Black Tai | Thailand | 25,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Black Tai | France | 5,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Black Tai | United States | 4,400 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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