Laos
Laos, 1975 to today. Draft, not yet reviewed
Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a country in Mainland Southeast Asia, and the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. A civil war from 1959 to 1975 saw the communist Pathet Lao, supported by China, North Vietnam, and the Soviet Union, oppose the Royal Lao Armed Forces, backed by the United States. The civil war ended with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party's establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975. Laos has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the town of Luang Prabang, the temple complex of Vat Phou, and the Plain of Jars.
Seat of power: Vientiane
Rulers
Souphanouvong
President of Laos, 1975–1991
Prince Souphanouvong was nicknamed the Red Prince. He was one of the Three Princes who represented the communist, neutralist, and royalist political factions in Laos.
Portrait of Souphanouvong: image comes from the Romanian National Archives, Attribution, file
Phoumi Vongvichit
President of Laos, 1986–1991
He was a leading figure of the Pathet Lao and an elder statesman of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. He joined the anti-colonialist Lao Issara movement and worked closely with the Viet Minh to oppose the return of French authority in Indochina.
Portrait of Phoumi Vongvichit: USAID, Public domain, file
Kaysone Phomvihane
President of Laos, 1991–1992
He served as the first leader of the Communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party from 1955 until his death in 1992. He served as the first Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic from 1975 to 1991 and then as the second President from 1991 to 1992.
Portrait of Kaysone Phomvihane: image comes from the Romanian National Archives, Attribution, file
Nouhak Phoumsavanh
President of Laos, 1992–1998
He was a long time Pathet Lao revolutionary and communist party official who was the 3rd President of Laos, serving from 1992 to 1998.
Khamtai Siphandone
President of Laos, 1998–2006
He served as the chairman of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party from 1992 to 2006 and as the fourth president of Laos from 1998 to 2006, when he was replaced by Choummaly Sayasone.
Portrait of Khamtai Siphandone: Government of India, GODL-India, file
_(b).jpg){kind=link}
Choummaly Sayasone
President of Laos, 2006–2016
He was General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President of Laos from 2006 to 2016. He joined the Party's Politburo in 1991 and was Minister of Defence from 1991 to 2001.
Portrait of Choummaly Sayasone: Russian Presidential Press and Information Office, CC BY 4.0, file
.jpg){kind=link}
Bounnhang Vorachit
President of Laos, 2016–2021
He was previously General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President of Laos from 2016 to 2021. He joined the Pathet Lao resistance movement in 1951 and worked in the propaganda department of the armed forces in Savannakhet.
Portrait of Bounnhang Vorachit: Presidential Communications Operations Office, Public domain, file
.jpg){kind=link}
Thongloun Sisoulith
President of Laos, 2021 to today
He is the general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the seventh president of Laos since 2021. In 2016, he became the prime minister where he undertook anti-corruption campaigns.
Portrait of Thongloun Sisoulith: Office of the President of Russia, CC BY 4.0, file
Culture
- Pha That Luang, an icon of Buddhism, is located in Vientiane.
- Other Buddhist temples can be found there, such as Haw Phra Kaew, which formerly housed the Emerald Buddha.
- Laos participates in the Greater Mekong Subregion economic cooperation programme and is a member of ASEAN, the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement, East Asia Summit, La Francophonie, and the World Trade Organization.
Picture
Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos, on the banks of the Mekong.
Image: Stefan Fussan, CC-BY-SA-3.0, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.