Tai Deng people group of Laos
 
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  • Population:25,000(1991);30,600(2000);38,250(2010)
  • Main Province: Houaphan
  • Language Affiliation: Tai
  • Religion: Animism
  • Christians: none known

The main information provided here is used by permission from asiaharvest.org

Additional information may be provided by millionelephants.com

Pray for the Tai Deng
  • Pray the neglected Tai Deng would be embraced by intercessors and evangelists in the Body of Christ.
  • Pray for churches to emerge among the Tai Deng in Vietnam and Laos.
  • Pray work would soon commence to bring God's Word to the Tai Deng in their own language.

According to a 1991 estimate by the Christian & Missionary Alliance, 25,000 Tai Deng, or Red Tai, live in Laos. No other population source has been cited for the Tai Deng, and the Lao census did not list them as a separate group, but included them under the overall figure for Phutai. It is possible, according to their widespread dispersion, that there are considerably more than 25,000 Tai Deng in Laos.

     More than 100,000 Tai Deng live in northern Vietnam, where they are part of the official Thai minority group. Others are found in Thailand and the United States. There are no Tai Deng reported in China, even though it is their historic homeland.

     Part of the problem in identifying the Tai Deng is that they live in mixed communities with other tribal Tai peoples, such as the Tai Dam, Tai Kao and Phutai. It is very hard to physically, culturally or linguistically distinguish between these three groups. The Tai Deng have also influenced other non-Tai groups. The Khmu living near Xam Neua have linguistic and cultural similarities to Tai Deng.165

     The Tai Deng have lived in Laos for at least 200 years, but a large influx entered Laos in the 1960's to escape the war in northern Vietnam. Many Tai Deng today are blacksmiths. They operate small shops along major roads.

     The Tai Deng population in both Vietnam and Laos has been kept relatively low by rampant epidemics in the past, including outbreaks of cholera and typhoid that left thousands dead. Today, health concerns continue to affect the Tai Deng. There is one trained doctor in Laos for every 4,381 people, compared to one doctor for every 2,298 people in Vietnam. Laos is still considerably better than Cambodia in this regard, which has one doctor for every 9,523 people.166 The problem of health care is made worse in Laos because of the great distances doctors must travel. Laos is roughly the same size as the United Kingdom, yet contains only 8% as many people.

     The Tai Deng are animists, with some measure of Buddhist influence. There are no known Christians among the Tai Deng. Surprisingly for such a large group, there are no Scriptures, Jesus film or Gospel recordings available in Tai Deng.

  

 

  

Additional Information

  1. Gospel Recording in Tahang here: Tai Deng resources page If you are aware of other recordings, literature, or anything else for the Tai Deng people, please let us make it available online.
  2. Getting there - If you make a trip to the Tahang people, share your experience and advice here: Tai Deng travel page
  3. Information - Do you know something more about the beliefs of the Tai Deng? Do you have a story to tell? Do you have a picture? Please share it here.
  4. Does anyone know of a Tai Dengbeliever inside or outside of Laos?
  5. Intercession - Have you gotten any impressions, scriptures or words while praying for this group? Have you visited their area? Please share these and we will include them on the prayer page here: Tai Deng prayer page
  6. Adoption - This is a small group, but that doesn't diminish the importance of these people in Gods' heart. If you feel led to focus on this group, maybe God will use in a miraculous way to reach them with the Gospel! Need assistance? Contact us at: millionelephants@gmail.com, subject: adoption