Measuring Well-Being from Local Perspective: The Case of Lao PDR.

Well-being is a contentious concept, and related measurements are socially and culturally sensitive. This paper examines the concept of well-being from the perspective of Lao people. The conceptual framework of the study is based on a framework well-being is comprised of three modes; 'having', 'thinking' and 'doing'. The researcher engaged 15 key informants were in-depth interviewed and 35 representatives of households in focus group discussions to ascertain well-being indicators. It is argued that the Lao concept of well-being is entrapped in a dichotomous concept of subjective and objective well-being. This study proposes that well-being indicators of Lao PDR are comprised of 5 components, and 39 indicators; including family well-being (4 indicators), community unity well-being (9 indicators), health well-being (7 indicators), forest and environment well-being (9 indicators), and having enough for sustaining living well-being (10 indicators). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]