This is the 159th most frequent Thai word.
ลาว
The Thai word "ลาว" means "Lao" (related to Laos, its people, or language).
In this sentence, "ลาว" is used as a proper noun referring to the country "Laos."
ลาวเป็นประเทศในเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้.
Laos is a country in Southeast Asia.
Here, "ลาว" is used to describe nationality, referring to someone who is from Laos.
เขาบอกว่าเขาเป็นคนลาว.
He said that he is Laotian.
In this context, "ลาว" is used colloquially to refer to people from the Isan region of Thailand, often to denote linguistic or cultural ties to Laos.