Laos is officially known as the Lao People's Democratic Republic and it is a landlocked country located in Southeast of Asia bordering Thailand, Vietnam, China, and Cambodia. Laos is a one-party state. The president of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is the head of state of Laos. History of the office of the president of Laos dates back to Prince Souphanouvong, who was Laos's first president and a member of the deposed royal family of the former Kingdom of Laos. The President of Laos is the Commander-in-Chief of the Lao People's Army, represents Laos in both international and local affairs, safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of Laos, and appoints the vice president, the prime minister, ministers, and other officials with the National Assembly's consent. These Presidents have been the Heads of State in Laos since the Kingdom of Laos was overthrown by the Laotian communist revolution.
Presidents Of Laos Since 1975
Prince Souphanouvong was born on July 13th, 1909 in Liang Phrabang, Laos and was the first President of Laos from December 1975 to August 1991. Souphanouvong was one of Prince Bounkhong's sons whose mother was a commoner. Souphanouvong got his education in France and Vietnam before eventually becoming a supporter of Ho Chi Minh and joining the Indochinese Communist movement. Souphanouvong assembled the first Congress of the Lao Freedom Front commonly known as the Pathet Lao. He was also the leader of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party which steered him into the presidency.
Nouhak Phoumsavanh (1992-1998)
Nouhak Phoumsavanh was born on April 9th, 1910 in Mukdahan Province of Thailand and was the fourth president of Laos from 1992 to1998. In 1945 Phoumsavanh was the founding member of the Lao Revolutionary movement and became the Chairman of the Lao Resistance Committee and Minister of Finance in 1950 he also served as the Deputy Prime Minister. Phoumsavanh was elected as President of Laos following the death of former President Kaysone.
Choummaly Sayasone (2006-2016)
Choummaly Sayasone was born on March 6th 1936 in Attapeu, Laos and is a Laotian politician, the 6th President of Lao from 2006-2016 and former General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. In 1991 Sayasone joined the party's political bureau serving as Defence Minister from 1991-2001 and was Vice President from 2001-2006. On March 21st, 2006 Sayasone was elected as the LPRP's General Secretary which saw him to victory as Laos President on June 8th, 2006.
Bounnhang Vorachith (2016-Present)
Bounnhang Vorachith was born on August 15th, 1938 in Savannakhet Province of Laos and is a Laotian politician and has also been the Secretary General of the LPRP and the seventh and incumbent President of Laos since January 22nd, 2016. Vorachith previously served as the deputy prime minister from 1996 to 2001, prime minister of Laos from 2001to 2006 and as Vice President of Laos from 2006 to 2016. Vorachith was elected as the General Secretary of the LPRP making him the supreme leader of Lao People's Democratic Republic. Vorachith was ranked first in the political bureau hierarchy of Laos.
Presidency of Lao People's Democratic Republic
The decline of the Kingdom of Laos by the Pathet Lao in 1975 and the end of the Laotian Civil War saw the beginning of a new era in Laos. Since 1975 Lao a Political Bureau hierarchy has had a total of six presidents and one acting president. The other two presidents in Laos include Kaysone Phomvihane who was president from 1991 to 1992 and Khamtai Siphandon who served as Laos president from 1998 to 2006. Phoumi Vongvichit was the acting president for Souphanouvong when he was forced to step down due to health reasons.
|Presidents of the Lao People's Democratic Republic||Term in Office|
|Bounnhang Vorachith (Incumbent)||2016-Present|