Overview: The Southeast Asian Peoples affinity bloc encompasses the mainland populations of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and parts of southern China and Myanmar. This region is characterized by significant linguistic and cultural diversity rooted in centuries of migration, trade, and cultural exchange. Major language families include Tai (with Thai being the largest group), Mon-Khmer (including Khmer of Cambodia), Austroasiatic (including Vietnamese), and Hmong-Mien (Hmong and related groups across the northern highlands). The dominant lowland populations—Thai, Khmer, Lao, and Vietnamese—historically controlled fertile river valleys and developed centralized kingdoms and wet-rice agriculture. Numerous smaller ethnic groups inhabit mountainous regions, maintaining distinct languages and cultural traditions. These highland-lowland distinctions have shaped historical relationships and contemporary dynamics, including questions of political representation and cultural preservation.

  ROP Editor

People clusters: Bouyei; Burmese; Cham; Karen; Kuki-Chin (Zo); Lao; Li; Lisu; Miao / Hmong; Mizo; Mon-Khmer; Other Southeast Asian; Shan; Tai; Thai; Vietnamese; Yao-Mien; Zhuang

Countries where they are found: Angola; Argentina; Australia; Bangladesh; Cambodia; Canada; China; Czech Republic; France; French Guiana; Germany; Hong Kong; India; Japan; Laos; Macao; Malaysia; Martinique; Myanmar; Netherlands; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Russian Federation; Singapore; Taiwan; Thailand; United Kingdom; United States; Uzbekistan; Vanuatu; Vietnam