Thao is a high school senior and a Martial Arts student at Absolute Naturition.  He is Laotian in origin, his family having moved from Laos when he was still an infant.  His grandfather had served in the Vietnam War and the Laotians who fought on the side of the United States were promised an opportunity to come to America for their service.  He is a health buff, refusing to put anything in his body that is not healthy and believes in living a balanced life.  He is devout buddhist but finds his teenage yearnings sometimes conflict with his philosophical belief system.