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People group profile · PG050558

The Pong Puang of Laos

The Pong Puang of Laos, numbering about 3,900 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Puang subgroup of the Pong people of Laos who belong to the broader Mon-Khmer tradition and maintain a distinct identity within the Phong-Kniang-speaking communities of northern Laos.

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.

Pray for the Pong PuangPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Pong Puang people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Pong Puang

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
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
Huaphan province, Houameuang district: 11 villages

Where they live

Gospel status

The Pong Puang 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 Puang

  • 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

80% 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 Puang

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

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