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The Lao are an ethnic group of Southeast Asia. The vast majority of Lao people live in either Laos (approximately 4 million) or Thailand (approximately 19 million, 18.7 million Isan Lao and 0.4 million immigrant Lao). The Lao of Thailand are concentrated in the Isan region, although there are many migrant workers from Isan working in other parts of the country, such as Bangkok. The Lao speak various dialects of Lao and Isan, which are in turn often considered to be a single language. Many people in Isan prefer the term Isan to Lao, but there remain many close cultural bonds with the Lao people.