Khamtai Siphandon

Siphandon comes from a peasant family from the far south of Laos. His first job was as a postman. He joined the national liberation movement Lao Issara after the end of the Second World War, which stood for the independence of Laos and against the return of the French protectorate administration. Before the French regained control of Savannakhet in March 1946, Siphandon 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 Pro-Vietnamese-backed Pathet Lao.[3]

In 1954 he became a member of the Communist Party of Indochina, 1955 Lao People's Party, whose central committee he was 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 the Politburo of the LPRP.[3]

After the Communist takeover in 1975, he became Minister of Defense and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers. He held this office for 16 years. After Kaysone and Nouhak Phoumsavanh he was from the 5th party congress in 1991 number three in the party leadership. On August 15, 1991, he became Kaysone's successor as successor. After the death of longtime party leader Kaysone 1992 Siphandon rose to the top of the state party LPRP.

He was the military commander of the Pathet Lao rebellion. On its takeover of the Laotian government in 1975 he became minister of defence, commander of the army, and a deputy prime minister. On the creation of a presidential republic in 1991, he became prime minister, succeeding party leader Kaysone Phomvihane, who became president. Siphandon became party leader on Kaysone's death, and succeeded Nouhak Phoumsavanh as president in 1998. At the 8th Party Congress in 2006, he became an Advisor to the LPRP Central Committee.

Siphandon remained as party leader until 21 March 2006, when he was replaced by Choummaly. As expected, he stepped down as President soon after the April 30, 2006, National Assembly elections.