a people living in Thailand (more than 400,000; 1970, estimate), south of the Mun River and up to the Cambodian border, and also in the neighboring regions of Cambodia (more than 40,000 persons). They are subdivided into the Mai, Mlo, Yao, and Miao groups. Their language is one of the Mon-Khmer languages. Their religion is Buddhism, with considerable remnants of ancient animistic beliefs. The Kui engage in farming (highland rice, cotton, and other crops) and various trades; they are well known as elephant drivers and skilled blacksmiths. The Kui are being assimilated by the Thai, Lao, and Khmer.