View source for Soulivong Savang

{{Short description|Laotian prince}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Soulivong Savang
{{nobold | {{Ubl
  | {{native name|lo|ສຸລິວົງສ໌ ສວ່າງ|italics=no|paren=omit}}
  }}}}
| title        = 
| image        = 
| caption      = 
| succession   = [[Royal Lao Government in Exile|King of Royal Lao Government in Exile]]
| reign        = 1980–present
| reign-type   = Reign
| predecessor  = [[Vong Savang]]
| successor    = 
| suc-type     = Heir presumptive
| spouse       = {{Marriage|[[Chansouk Soukthala]]|10 November 2007}}
| issue        = 
| royal house  = [[Khun Lo|Khun Lo Dynasty]]
| father       = [[Vong Savang]]
| mother       = [[Mahneelai]]
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1963|5|8|df=y}}
| birth_place  = [[Luang Phrabang]], [[Kingdom of Laos|Laos]]
| death_date   = 
| death_place  = 
| date of burial = 
| place of burial = |
}}
'''Soulivong Savang''' ({{langx|lo|ສຸລິວົງ ສະຫວ່າງ}}; born 8 May 1963) is the [[pretender]] to the defunct Lao throne, and a grandson of the last King of Laos [[Sisavang Vatthana]].

[[Laos]] was a monarchy until 1975, when the communist [[Pathet Lao]] seized control of the nation, causing Sisavang Vatthana to abdicate his throne. He was imprisoned and died at an uncertain time in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Soulivong Savang lives in exile in Paris.

== Biography ==
Soulivong Khantharinh was born on 8 May 1963 at the Royal Palace in [[Luang Prabang]] to Crown Prince [[Vong Savang]] and Crown Princess Mahneelai of the [[Kingdom of Laos]].

After the communist revolution, some members of the royal family were placed in re-education camps where they reportedly died,<ref>{{Cite book |last=White |first=Daniel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7RqcdCf6nMkC&dq=%22on+december+12,+1981%22&pg=PA255 |title=Frommer's Cambodia and Laos |publisher=Wiley |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-470-49778-4 |page=255 |language=en}}</ref> although Prince [[Souphanouvong]] later became President of the newly established republic.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kremmer |first=Christopher |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j-9BPgAACAAJ |title=Stalking the Elephant Kings: In Search of Laos |date=1997 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |isbn=978-1-86448-137-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kremmer |first=Christopher |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WCLWGgAACAAJ |title=Bamboo Palace: Discovering the Lost Dynasty of Laos |date=2003 |publisher=Silkworm |isbn=978-974-9575-76-5 |language=en}}</ref> Prince Khantharinh escaped from captivity in [[Laos]] with his younger brother Prince [[Thanyavong Savang]] in 1981, arriving in France as refugees.

==Education==

Soulivong Savang attended the University of [[Clermont-Ferrand]] in France and also obtained a law degree.{{cn|date=August 2020}}

==Political aspirations==

He has been working to restore democracy as well as "social and charitable reforms" to Laos. "The restoration of the monarchy would be up to the Lao people", he said. His uncle Prince [[Sauryavong Savang]] was regarded as head of the Laotian royal family and acted as [[regent]] to his nephew.<ref name="nyt">{{Cite news |date=2000-08-13 |title=Exiled Laotian Prince Seeks a New Role (Published 2000) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/13/world/exiled-laotian-prince-seeks-a-new-role.html |access-date=2025-10-14 |language=en}}</ref> A [[Royal Lao Government in Exile]] exists.{{Citation needed|date=January 2016}}

On 19 September 1997, Soulivong Khantharinh and his Uncle Prince Sauryavong Khantharinh initiated a Royal Lao Conference in [[Seattle]], United States. Over five hundred Lao exiles and representatives of the Hmong, Kmu, Mien, Thaidam and all ethnic minority community attended. This conference established the Lao Representative Abroad Council.{{Citation needed|date=January 2016}}

On 19 September 1999, a second conference was held in Montreal, Canada, to follow up the progress of LRAC work and focus on non-profit organizations to support the local and worldwide community through community development, social services, education and job development, promoting cultural activity. Soulivong capitalized on the rise in royalist sentiment in neighbouring Thailand.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-08-17 |title=Lao Royalty: Kingdom Come? --- Asia Pacific Media Service |url=http://www.asiapacificms.com/articles/lao_royalty/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=www.asiapacificms.com}}</ref>

The Laotian exile community – 100,000 in France, 40,000 in Australia and half a million in the United States – has been fractured ethnically between Lao and Hmong. The crown prince said he tells both groups that a constitutional monarchy is their best hope of unity.<ref name=nyt/>

==Personal life==
On 10 November 2007, the Prince married Princess [[Chansouk Soukthala]]. The ceremony, which took place in Canada, was attended by 800 guests. The bride, Princess Chansouk, is a daughter of the former military Prosecutor Prince Tanh Soukthala and Princess Bounchanh Soukthala.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-11-15 |title=Over 800 Celebrated the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince Soulivong Savang, Grandson of Laos' Former King. |url=https://lao.voanews.com/a/a-52-2007-11-16-voa1-90684059/1186171.html |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=ສຽງອາເມຣິກາ - ວີໂອເອ |language=lo}}</ref>

== Ancestry ==
{{ahnentafel
|collapsed=yes |align=center
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|1= 1. '''Prince Soulivong Savang of Laos'''
|2= 2. [[Vong Savang|Vong Savang, Crown Prince of Laos]]
|3= 3. Princess Mahneelai
|4= 4. [[Sisavang Vatthana|King Sisavang Vatthana of Laos]]
|5= 5. Princess Kham-Phoui
|6= 6. Prince Kham-Phan Panya
|7= 7. a Lady from Pak Lai
|8= 8. [[Sisavang Vong|King Sisavangvong of Laos]] (= 12)
|9= 9. [[Kham-Oun I|Princess Kham-Ouane Thongsi]]
|10= 10. Prince Kham-Phane
|11= 11. Princess Kham-oune
|12= 12. [[Sisavang Vong|King Sisavangvong of Laos]] (= 8)
|13= 13. ''Mom'' Kham-La
|14= 
|15= 
}}

==See also==
*[[Lao royal family]]
*Prince [[Souvanna Phouma]]
*Prince [[Phetsarath Ratanavongsa]]
*[[Pathet Lao]]
*Prince [[Souphanouvong]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080820043205/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/aponline/20000224/aponline180821_000.htm Exiled Laos Prince Appeals to US] by ''[[Washington Post]]''
*[http://www.geocities.com/vangrhino/laos.html Former Royal Laos Flag & Laos National Anthem]{{dead link|date=December 2010|bot=AnomieBOT}}
*[http://lao.football.free.fr/Democratie_Thou_Soulivong.htm Speech of His Royal Highness Prince Soulivong Savang] at [[Bowdoin College]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070313014038/http://www.irrawaddy.org/database/2000/vol8.6/cover-2.html Political turmoil comes to one of the most isolated communist ruled countries in Southeast Asia]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051023065155/http://servizi.radicalparty.org/documents/images/laos/laos_31122002_en.jpg Press release of the Lao Royal Family]
*[http://www.asiapacificms.com/articles/lao_royalty/ LAOS: ROYALTY Kingdom Come?]
*[http://hmongunivers.angelcities.com/news33.html Deposed Lao family adds royal touch to Farmington temple; Families gather for day of worship and remembrance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716224816/http://hmongunivers.angelcities.com/news33.html |date=2012-07-16 }}
*[http://lao.football.free.fr/010916/index.htm Laos Royals pay respects to September 11, 2001 Victims] (Photos)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050415022238/http://servizi.radicalparty.org/documents/conference_southeast_asia/index.php?func=detail&par=183 Welcoming speech of Crown Prince Soulivong Savang] (French)

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Laotian Royal Family|Khun Lo Dynasty]]|8 May|1963||}}
{{s-pre}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Vong Savang]]}}
{{s-tul|title=[[Monarchs of Laos|King of Laos]]|years=2 May 1978?/1980?/1984?-|reason=[[Lao People's Revolutionary Party|Monarchy abolished in 1975 – Communist take over]]}}
{{s-inc|heir=[[Thayavong Savang]]}} 
{{s-end}}

{{Lao Pretenders}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Savang, Soulivong}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Heirs apparent who never acceded]]
[[Category:Laotian royalty]]
[[Category:Pretenders]]
[[Category:Laotian exiles]]
[[Category:Exiled royalty]]
[[Category:Laotian anti-communists]]