The language was already in severe decline when Westerners discovered it in the 1920s. Region: Uthai Thani and Suphanburi provincesĪlso known as Gong, Lawa and Ugawng, Ugong is spoken in isolated communities in Uthai Thani and Suphanburi provinces in western Thailand. The continent will lose more than means of communication when these priceless cultural treasures vanish.ĪSIAN Geographic takes a closer look at some of the highly endangered languages in Southeast Asia.
Asia is where nearly half of these endangered languages are spoken. Language experts say half of the world’s nearly 7,000 languages are expected to be extinct by the end of this century. Text by Rajeswari Vikirama and Rachel Kwek
