The Department of Mass Culture of the Ministry of Information and Culture is responsible for disseminating the directives of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and government regarding a cultured way of life, and for nationwide planning and co-ordination of the mass culture activities organised in support of those directives. However, reponsibility for organising and implementing specific mass culture programmes throughout the country rests with local authorities.

Each provincial/municipal Service of Information and Culture has an officer responsible for the implementation of mass culture programmes, which include: government campaigns to eradicate 'social evils' such as drug abuse, prostitution, pornography, gambling and superstitious practices, encourage women to wear traditional Lao skirts rather than western-style clothing and protect young people from the undesirable influence of ‘beer shops’ and other entertainment places; the organisation of competitions for model workers similar to the Vietnamese thi đua (‘emulation drive’), called khen khan; and the implementation of programmes aimed at encouraging a gracious and civilised society, such as the 'village of culture' and 'family of culture' schemes.

Introduced into Laos in 1993 with assistance from the Ministry of Culture and Information of Việt Nam, the 'village of culture' and 'family of culture' schemes have to date involved the recognition of a total of over 16,000 families and 85 villages around the country as having model cultural status.

The aim of the government is to extend these programmes to every province, but at the time of writing a number of poor provinces remain unable to participate due to lack of resources.

Currently over 4,000 (25 per cent) of the total number of 'families of culture' hail from the capital city of Vientiane, while Xieng Khouang Province has the highest numbers of 'villages of culture' in the country, with a total of 18.

In Laos a typical 'village of culture' incorporates a wat, a village hall where traditional cultural artefacts are displayed, a government propaganda centre with a loudspeaker broadcasting system and basic educational and healthcare facilities. As a general rule at least 60 per cent of the villagers in a 'village of culture' must lead a civilised, healthy existence, send their children to school, observe the fine traditions of the nation, eliminate superstitious thoughts and stop following the fashion of western nations.

Alongside the 'village of culture' scheme, a 'model village' scheme has also been implemented which relates to improvements in sanitary conditions and achievements in agriculture such as rice or cucumber production. However, this scheme is not administered by the Ministry of Information and Culture.

The long term aim of the Ministry of Information and Culture is to establish a provincial cultural centre in every province, but as yet only two provinces – Vientiane and Borikhamxai – have begun constructing such facilities.

However, since 1996 Children's Cultural Centres (CCCs) have been established in the capital city of Vientiane and in 11 other Lao provinces. Administered through the local authorities under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Information and Culture's Department of Mass Culture and funded mainly by Japanese NGOs such as the Japan Sotoshu Relief Committee (JSRC) and the Association for Sending Picture Books to Lao Children (ASPB), these centres also play an important role in mass culture, promoting traditional Lao values and offering young people a wide range of extra-curricular activities to encourage them to use their free time constructively and avoid getting involved with drugs.

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