People group profile · PG050556
The Pong Phen of Laos
The Pong Phen of Laos, numbering about 3,900 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Phen subgroup of the Pong people of northern Laos who belong to the broader Mon-Khmer tradition and maintain a distinct identity within the Phong-Kniang-speaking communities of Houaphan Province.
They are an indigenous people in the Mon-Khmer people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Buddhism, and they primarily speak Phong-Kniang.

Fast facts
- Country
- Laos
- Population
- 3,900
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Mon-Khmer
- Primary language
- Phong-Kniang (pnx)
- Primary religion
- Folk Buddhism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- No Evangelicals, Churches or Resources
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Also known as
- Pong Pan
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Huaphan province, Houameuang district: 10 villages
Where they live
Gospel status
The Pong Phen are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. In GSEC terms, there are no evangelical Christians or churches among this people group and there is no access to evangelical print, audio, visual or human resources.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Pong Phen
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Folk Buddhism · Buddhism
70% adherents
Primary language
Phong-Kniang · Austroasiatic family
70% speak Phong-Kniang
Gospel resources in Phong-Kniang
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Pong Phen
- 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.
- 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.
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