The current Lao flag was adopted on December 2, 1975, when the communist
Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) toppled the King and took over
the government.
The flag has three horizontal stripes, red stripes on the top and bottom, a blue stripe, whose height is double of the red ones, in the middle with white circle in the center of the blue stripe.
What does each colour mean?
The Red represents blood shed by the people during the struggle for freedom.
The Blue stands for prosperity.
The White circle symbolises justice and the unity of the people under the leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the country's bright future. It is also said to represent a full moon against the Mekong River.
Some History
Before Laos became the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in 1975 the country's flag was red, with a triple-headed white elephant standing on a five-level pedestal.
The three-headed elephant flag represented the ancient name of the country, "Land of a Million Elephants".
What does each symbol represent?
The five-level pedestal represented the law on which the country rested.
The three headed-elephant represented three former kingdoms Vientiane, Luang Prabang, and Champasak which made up the country.
The nine-folded umbrella on top of the elephant is said to be a royal symbol, originating from Mt. Meru in the Buddhist cosmology.
VIETNAM INFOMATION
LAOS INFOMATION