The Lao Loum (Lao: ລາວລຸ່ມ; Thai: ลาวลุ่ม) is an official Laos PDR designation for lowland dwelling Tai peoples, including the majority Lao people. The Lao Loum, literally meaning "lowland Lao," are the inhabitants of the river valleys and lowlands along the Mekong River and make up over 68% of the population of Laos, of whom, half are of the Lao ethnic group.