Lao Script

The official script of Laos, a Brahmic script similar to Thai. Used since the 14th-century Lan Xang kingdom. Lao is a tonal language (6 tones), and tone markers are incorporated into the script. After becoming communist in 1975, Laos reformed spelling to improve literacy. Used by ~7 million people, its high mutual intelligibility with Thai makes it a cultural bridge between the two nations.