Kaona

Republic of Kaona สาธารณรัฐข้าวนา S̄āṭhārṇrạṭ̄h Kâaona ສາທາລະນະລັດ ຂອງ ເຂົ້າສະໜາມ Sathalanalad Khong Khaosanam
Flag Seal
Motto: ความสามัคคีในความหลากหลาย ຄວາມສາມັກຄີໃນຄວາມຫຼາກຫຼາຍ Unity in Diversity
Anthem: เพลงแห่งสามัคคี ເພງຂອງສະຫະປະຊາຊາດ Song of Unity
Location of Kaona in Isuan in Levilion Location of Kaona in Isuan in Levilion
Capital and largest city	Phuko
Official languages	Kaonese
Recognised regional languages	Bassac
Ethnic groups (2013)	76.57% Kaonese 18.62% Bassac 6.81% other
Religion	Lanka
Demonym(s)	Kaonese
Government	Unitary semi-presidential republic
• President	Lursakdi Sonakul
• Prime Minister	Phoumi Kittikhoun
Legislature	National Assembly
Independence from Rythene
• Declared	14 June 1945
Area
• Total	2,584,618 km2 (997,927 sq mi)
Population
• 2020 estimate	87,396,981
• 2015 census	82,567,283
• Density	33.8/km2 (87.5/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$2,363,476 billion
• Per capita	$27,043
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$861,472 billion
• Per capita	$9,857
Gini	41.2 medium
HDI	0.744 high
Currency	Ngein (NGN)
Date format	yyy-mm-dd
Driving side	left
Calling code	+764
ISO 3166 code	KH
Internet TLD	.ko

Kaona (Kaonese: ข้าวนาำ; Kâaona; Bassac: ເຂົ້າສະໜາມ; Khaosanam) officially the Republic of Kaona (Kaonese: สาธารณรัฐข้าวนา; S̄āṭhārṇrạṭ̄h Kâaona; Bassac: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ຂອງ ເຂົ້າສະໜາມ; Sathalanalad Khong Khaosanam) is a country in Isuan sharing land and maritime borders with Songha to the south. Populated predominantly by ethnic Kaonese with a large minority of Bassacs Kaona has a population of 87 million people. Its capital and largest city is Phuko, located in the south of the country.

Kaona has been inhabited since the palaeolithic age. The Pankong Kingdom which emerged around 100 BCE was the first Kaonese state which saw the partial codification of the Kaonese language, although remained subordinate to other larger states and empires in the area. The Pankong Kingdom would be succeeded briefly by a period of civil war before the rise of the Hom Khao Empire from 800 CE to the 1100's would emerge. The empire was dominated by the ethnic Bassac Xang dynasy but never reached the heights of other empires in the region; for this reason its collapse in the 1300's meant that many of its achievements were reversed in the regionalisation that succeeded it.

The area was then unified in the 1100's under King Ramathibodi who created the Yutkong Kingdom. Considered to be the "golden age" of Kaonese history the Yutkong Kingdom reached its height in the 1500's expanding to include neighbouring states. However it entered a sharp decline during the 1600's and collapsed between several petty kingdoms, before being united under the Ratchakao Kingdom in 1680. Under the Ratchakao there was an institution of the first national legal code and beginning westernising reforms. It came under increasing Auressian influence in the 1800's, being transformed into a Rythenean protectorate by 1800's after undergoing a series of unequal treaties. Whilst nominally still ruled by the Ratchakao monarchy in reality Rythenean colonial officials held power over the country and its economy.

Following the second Great War increased nationalist and anti-colonial sentiment led to independence in 1945 under the monarchy. However independence led to new ethnic divisions that threatened the nascent country, leading to the military to seize power in 1948 after the Hmukeaathale region was annexed by Songha after a short war declaring the Kaonese Republic. Although the military oversaw a period of rapid economic growth the country also maintained a long-running insurgency that threatened the stability of the state; this led in the late 1970's to a period of democratisation. Since democratisation Kaona has continued to suffer from ethnic insurgencies and populist politics although since the late 2010's has continued to experience large economic growth.

Kaona is considered a newly industrialised country with an economy focused around manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism. Dependent on foreign direct investment, Kaona has taken significant measures in recent years to improve infrastructure and continue reconstruction efforts left over from its civil war. Politically the state is a semi-presidential republic.

History

Prehistory

Archaeological evidence suggests that human life has resided in what now consists of Kaona since the Palaeolithic age, with fossils and human teeth being discovered in the Ban Thung Si (บ้านทุ่งศรี) caves in the Nasuan region. It is theorised that the first people of Kaona were initially hunter-gatherer people. During the Iron age Kaonese tribes began to coalesce into farming societies centred around rice paddies as well as raise poultry and rice.

During the iron age the first Kaonese states began to form, mainly in the modern day southeastern regions of Boripat Pakneua and Khao Noi. These kingdoms did not yet develop a writing system, and as such much of their history has either been unearthed through archaeological remains and contact with traders from Songha. According to Songha sources, these states took the form of farming based tribal confederations, with each owing loyalty to figurehead monarchs and shamans. Many of these states were populated by diverse groups of people who have been collectively grouped by historians as "Munchi Kaonese", as many resided near the Munchi River in northeast Kaona.

Around 100 BCE the Pankong (ปั้นคง) Kingdom was formed in modern day west Kaona. The Pankong Kingdom saw the spread of what would become the Kaonese language which began to formulated into a script around 150 CE, which was adapted from the [Cambodian] Empire. Whilst the Pankong Kingdom initially began as tribal confederation, it eventually centralised under a seemingly complex system of warlords and shamans supporting the king. Most significantly, the Pankong kingdom saw lanka start to enter Kaonese society, although it would take centuries before the religion became dominant in Kaona. The Pankong Kingdom collapsed around 300 CE, starting a series of civil wars within the region that would continue for another half a millennia, with various kingdoms within the region attempting to and failing to unite the warring factions.

Government and politics

Kaona is commonly seen as a unitary semi-presidential republic with a representative democracy and separation of powers. The head of state is the President, whilst the executive government is headed by the Council of Ministers of Kaona led by the head of government, the prime minister. The president is considered to be the more powerful of the two posts and often has sole control over foreign and defence related matters being commander-in-chief. The legislature is the unicameral National Assembly which possesses 448 seats elected under a parallel system. The judiciary is divided between the Supreme Court (which acts as the court of last resort) and the Constitutional Court (which handles constitutional matters). As a unitary state, Kaona is divided into 22 provinces, although increasing decentralisation has been implemented since the mid 2000's.

The current government of Kaona is led by the People's Democrat Party, a left-wing populist party led Lursakdi Sonakul who is currently serving as president since 2014 being re-elected in 2018. The prime minister is Phoumi Kittikhoun who is from the same party having served as prime minister since 2018. Since 2002 the important parties in Kaona have also included the right-wing Chart Pattana Party.

Government

President Lursakdi Sonakul

Prime Minister Phoumi Kittikhoun

Kaona's government is centred around the president, the highest executive post in the country. Officially the president has the power to veto certain legislation, appoint the government and approve of ministers, ratifies treaties, nominates members of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts with parliamentary approval, declare war and grant pardons. The president can also dismiss the prime minister and cabinet although has to do so with parliamentary approval and also serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Kaona. The president is elected every four years and can be re-elected once through a two round system.

The Council of Ministers of Kaona sits below the president as one of the most important executive bodies in the country. The cabinet is appointed by the president and governs with the confidence of the National Assembly. The cabinet itself consists of 28 ministries and is chaired by the Prime Minister who officially appoints members of cabinet with presidential approval.

In the interest of maintaining balance between ethnic groups, the government is structured in order to represent all groups. Ministries are divided proportionally between ethnic groups, a practice introduced in 1997 as part of the government's reconciliation measures during the ongoning Kaonese Insurgency.

Legislature

The unicameral legislature of Kaona is the National Assembly (รัฐสภา; Ratthasapha) located in the capital of Phuko. The National Assembly sits for four years, being elected through universal suffrage concurrently with the first round of presidential elections. Elections are done under a supplementary members system with 224 seats being elected under first-past-the-post and 224 seats elected under party-list proportional representation. Prior to 2004 the legislature was elected purely under proportional representation.

The legislature's main role is both to pass legislation but also to act as a check on government. The legislature has the power to open impeachment procedures against the president, scrutinise government legislation through either debate or subcommittees or propose a vote of no confidence in the council of ministers. The prime minister and council of ministers must have the approval of the National Assembly although the president reserves the sole right to nominate a prime minister.

The timing of legislative elections means that cohabitation is relatively rare in Kaonese politics, with president's usually holding a majority during their term. An exception occurred during the presidency of Tawatwong Sonakul when a narrow right-wing majority in the National Assembly was paired with a left-wing presidential administration which resulted in cabinets during that term to mostly be technocratic in nature.

Culture

Cuisine

Phad Kao, a popular dish in Kaona

Kaona is known internationally for its distinctive cuisine, often divided between Kaonese and Bassac cuisine. Unlike other cuisines in the region, Kaonese cuisine is known for its complexity, harmonising several flavours (sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy) into one whilst also paying great attention to texture, smell and appearance. Its cuisine is somewhat influenced by Songha to the south whose traders brought and traded food with Kaonese merchants historically. Kaonese cuisine utilises non-sticky long-grain rice whilst Bassac cuisine uses sticky rice. Bassac cuisine uses galangal, lemongrass, and padaek as staple ingredients and is considered to be less complex than Kaonese food.

Kaonese traditionally use their hands to eat food rather than use chopsticks (although the latter is used more recently in food imported from other nations in Isuan). In recent times spoons and forks have been used more to eat food. Food is often served with rice and many complementary dishes.

Popular dishes in Kaona and abroad include phad kao, green curry, tom yum, khao phat and khao soi, as well as lahb, khao poon, khao piak khao and ping kai. Kaona is also known for its beerkao from its state-owned Kaonese brewery company which is exported internationally.