The Lao script is the writing system used for the Lao language, the official language of Laos. It is an abugida, meaning each character represents a consonant with an inherent vowel sound. The script is derived from the Brahmi script and shares similarities with the Thai script, but it has distinct characters and diacritics. Lao script consists of 27 consonants and 7 vowels, which can be combined to form various sounds. It is written from left to right and does not use spaces between words, making it unique among Southeast Asian scripts. The script plays a crucial role in preserving Lao culture and literature.