Khamtai Siphandone

Khamtai Siphandone (Template:Langx; 8 February 1924 – 2 April 2025) was a Laotian politician who served as the chairman of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party from 1992 to 2006 and as the fourth president of Laos<ref name="Doeden">Doeden, Matt (2007) Laos in Pictures, Lerner Publishing Group, Template:ISBN, p. 71</ref> from 1998 to 2006, when he was replaced by Choummaly Sayasone. He joined the Indochinese Communist Party in 1954 and became a member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party in 1956.

Early life

Siphandone was born on 8 February 1924<ref>Joseph Chinyong Liow, Dictionary of the Modern Politics of Southeast Asia (fourth edition, 2015), Routledge, page 212.</ref> in the village of Huakhongphayai in Khong district to Ny Nilaxay and Saybua Nilaxay, and was among six siblings. He came from a peasant family from the far south of Laos in present-day Champasak province. In 1931, at the age of seven, he was among several children selected by an officer of the department of religious affairs in Vientiane to study in the city, thus beginning his primary education. He later attended the College PAVIE for his secondary education, but left in 1941 after the official's death left Siphandone unable to financially sustain his studies.<ref name="dead"/>

His first job was as a postman. After taking a specialized course in Saigon, he became a telegrapher in Phongsaly province in 1944.<ref name="dead"/> He joined the national liberation movement Lao Issara, which stood for the independence of Laos and against the return of the French protectorate administration, after the end of the Second World War.

Before the French regained control of Savannakhet in March 1946, Siphandone seized the entire provincial fund (150,000 piastres). He became an officer of the armed wing of the movement and in 1948 their representative for southern Laos. After the split of Lao Issara in 1950 he joined the Viet Minh-backed Pathet Lao.<ref name="Dic160">Stuart-Fox: Historical Dictionary of Laos. 2008, S. 160.</ref>

In 1954, Siphandone became a member of the Communist Party of Indochina, and in 1955 the Lao People's Party, on whose central committee he served from 1957. He was considered a close confidant of the first Secretary-General Kaysone Phomvihane. In 1962 he became his successor as chief of staff of the armed units of the Pathet Lao. In 1966 he became commander-in-chief of the resulting "Lao People's Liberation Army", which fought, with North Vietnamese support, in the Laotian Civil War against the royal troops. In 1972 he rose to membership in the Politburo of the LPRP.<ref name="Dic160"/>

Political career

Siphandone was the military commander of the Pathet Lao rebellion.<ref name="offices">Template:Cite web</ref> After the successful Communist takeover in 1975, he became the Minister of Defense and a Deputy Prime Minister of Laos.<ref name="offices"/> During the 5th Party Congress in 1991, Siphandone was the third highest-ranking member of the party leadership, after Kaysone Phomvihane and Nouhak Phoumsavanh.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> On 15 August 1991, he succeeded Kaysone, who had left office to become president, as Prime Minister of Laos. After the death of longtime party leader Kaysone in 1992, Siphandone became Chairman of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.<ref name="offices"/>

Siphandone succeeded Nouhak Phoumsavanh as president in 1998.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the 8th Party Congress in 2006, he became an advisor to the LPRP Central Committee.

Siphandone remained as party leader until 21 March 2006, when he was replaced by Choummaly.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He stepped down as president in June,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> following the 2006 Laotian parliamentary election.

Family and personal life

Siphandone was married to Thongvanh Siphandone.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His son Sonexay joined the LPRP Politburo in 2016<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and became Prime Minister of Laos in 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His daughter Viengthong currently serves as President of the State Audit Organization.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 8 February 2024, he turned 100, and was sent congratulatory messages by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyễn Phú Trọng and President of Vietnam Võ Văn Thưởng. The Vietnamese ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung presented a birthday gift to Siphandone to his son Sonexay.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Death and funeral

Siphandone died in his residence in Vientiane, on 2 April 2025, at the age of 101. The Laotian government declared a period of mourning lasting from 3 to 7 April.<ref name="dead">Template:Cite web</ref> General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tô Lâm, Prime Minister of Vietnam Phạm Minh Chính, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping, Prime Minister of Thailand Paetongtarn Shinawatra, King of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen of Thailand Suthida, Prime Minister of Japan Shigeru Ishiba, President of Russia Vladimir Putin, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un, President of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel, Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong and President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko and Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet issued messages of condolences upon Siphandone's death.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Overcite On 3 April, Lâm led a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation to Vientiane to pay respects to Siphandone.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Vietnam announced a period of mourning for two days starting on 4 April. Cuba also announced a period of mourning for one day from 5 April.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Siphandone was granted a state funeral at the That Luang esplanade in Vientiane on 7 April 2025.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Awards and honours

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  • File:LAO Gold Medal of the Nation BAR.svg National Gold Medal
  • File:Order of Phoxay Lane Xang.png Order of Phoxay Lane Xang

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  • Family Order of Laila Utama (2004)<ref>Lelita Brunei – 1 December 2004</ref>

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  • Order of José Martí<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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  • File:Vietnam Gold Star ribbon.png Gold Star Order (1993)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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  • File:SU Order of the Red Banner ribbon.svg Order of the Red Banner (1984)<ref>«Красная Звезда» [Red Star newspaper], March 1984</ref>

References

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