Lua People

The Lua people (IPA: [luaʔ]) are a minority ethnic group native to Laos, although there is now a sizable community living in Thailand. Lua’ is their preferred autonym (self-designation), while their Lao neighbours tend to call them Thin, T’in or Htin (Lao: ຖິ່ນ, Lao pronunciation: [tʰin]). Another term for this group is Lawa (but they have to be distinguished from the unrelated Lawa people in northern Thailand). There are two subgroups: the Mal and the Phai or Pray.

The Lua or Htin people, as well as the Mlabri people, represent the ancestral Austroasiatic-speakers as example as the indigenous population of Mainland Southeast Asia.
The Lua speak Mal and Phai, closely related, but not mutually intelligible languages, belonging to the Khmuic branch of the Austroasiatic languages. Their home region is in the provinces of Sainyabuli (Hongsa and Phiang districts) and Bokeo (Pak Tha District). In Thailand, most Lua settle in Nan province, close to the border with Laos.