Bounnhang Vorachith

Bounnhang Vorachith (Lao: ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ; born 15 August 1937)[3][4][5] is a Laotian politician currently serving as President of Laos. He was previously General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party from 2016 to 2021.

Bounnhang Vorachith
ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ
President of Laos
Assumed office
20 April 2016
Prime MinisterThongloun Sisoulith
Vice PresidentPhankham Viphavan
Preceded byChoummaly Sayasone
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party
In office
22 January 2016 – 15 January 2021
DeputyPhankham Viphavan
(Standing Member)
Preceded byChoummaly Sayasone
Succeeded byThongloun Sisoulith
Vice President of Laos
In office
8 June 2006 – 20 April 2016
PresidentChoummaly Sayasone
Preceded byChoummaly Sayasone
Succeeded byPhankham Viphavan
Standing Member of the LPRP Secretariat
In office
8 June 2006 – 21 January 2016
General SecretaryChoummaly Sayasone
Preceded byPost established
Succeeded byPhankham Viphavanh
Prime Minister of Laos
In office
27 March 2001 – 8 June 2006
PresidentKhamtai Siphandon
Preceded bySisavath Keobounphanh
Succeeded byBouasone Bouphavanh
Minister of Finance
In office
6 August 1999 – 27 March 2001
Prime MinisterSisavath Keobounphanh
Preceded byKhamphoui Keoboualapha
Succeeded bySoukanh Mahalath
Personal details
Born (1937-08-15) 15 August 1937
Savannakhet, French Protectorate of Laos
Political partyLao People's Revolutionary Party (1955–present)
Spouse(s)Khammeung Vorachith
Military service
Allegiance Laos
Branch/service LPAF
Rank Colonel[1][2]

Early life

Boungnang Vorachith joined the Pathet Lao resistance movement in 1951 and worked in the propaganda department of the armed forces in Savannakhet. In 1956, he was transferred to the fighting troops. He studied in Vietnam from 1958 to 1961, then returned to Laos to help prepare for the conquest of Luang Namtha Province. After the victory in Luang Namtha in 1962, he returned to Vietnam and studied at a military college.[6]

In 1964, he returned to Laos and in 1969, became head of the organizing committee of the province Xieng Khuang. In 1972, he became Deputy Commander of the Northern Front in Luang Prabang Province. Here he also joined the coalition in 1974 and became party secretary of the defence forces of the neutral city Luang Prabang. In 1976 he became political leader of the armed forces of the northern half of the country. In 1978, he returned to Vietnam to study political theory. In 1981, he became political leader of the armed forces, and in the same year up to 1991, he also worked as Governor of Savannakhet Province until 1996, when he became Deputy Prime Minister.

Political career

Prior to becoming Prime Minister in 2001, he served as Deputy Prime Minister since 1996. In addition, he was from 1996 to 1999 Chairman of the Lao-Vietnamese Cooperation Committee and from 1999 to 2001 Minister of Finance. On 26 March 2001, he was elected Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) of Laos. On 8 June 2006, he was followed by the former 1st Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh in the office of Prime Minister. He himself became vice-president of the Democratic People's Republic of Laos on March 8, 2006 and thus deputy to Choummaly Sayasone.

Bounnhang's ties with Vietnam run deep. He underwent military training there and, after taking part in founding the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975, he studied socialist thought there.[6]

He became Vice President on 8 June 2006, when Bouasone Bouphavanh was appointed as Prime Minister. At the 10th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, he was elected to succeed Choummaly Sayasone as General Secretary on 22 January 2016, effectively making him the leader of Laos.[7] Boungnang Vorachith is married to Khammeung Vorachith and father of three sons and two daughters.

At the 11th congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (2021), he stepped down as General Secretary in favor of Thongloun Sisoulith.[8]

References
  1. McPhillips, Jody (Aug 15, 2001). "Lao Prime Minister Begins Three-Day Visit". The Cambodia Daily. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-02-09. Retrieved 2019-02-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Asian Survey". University of California Press. May 8, 2006. Retrieved May 8, 2019 – via Google Books.
  4. "ຊີວະປະຫວັດຫຍໍ້ຂອງ ທ່ານ ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ". Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  5. "ທ່ານ ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ - China Radio International". laos.cri.cn. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  6. "Profile: Laos' new president is last of old guard- Nikkei Asian Review". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  7. "Ruling communists in Laos promote VP as country's new leader", Associated Press, 22 January 2016.
  8. Reuters Staff (Jan 15, 2021). "Laos Communist Party names PM Thongloun as new leader". Retrieved Jan 15, 2021 – via www.reuters.com.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Choummaly Sayasone		 General Secretary of the People's Revolutionary Party
2016–2021		 Succeeded by
Thongloun Sisoulith
Political offices
Preceded by
Sisavath Keobounphanh		 Prime Minister of Laos
2001–2006		 Succeeded by
Bouasone Bouphavanh
Preceded by
Choummaly Sayasone		 Vice President of Laos
2006–2016		 Succeeded by
Phankham Viphavan
President of Laos
2016–present		 Incumbent
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Najib Razak		 Chairperson of ASEAN
2016		 Succeeded by
Rodrigo Duterte
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.