Bounnhang Vorachith

Bounnhang Vorachith
ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ
General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party
Assumed office
22 January 2016
Preceded by Choummaly Sayasone
President of Laos
Assumed office
20 April 2016
Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith
Vice President Phankham Viphavan
Preceded by Choummaly Sayasone
4th Vice President of Laos
In office
8 June 2006 – 20 April 2016
President Choummaly Sayasone
Preceded by Choummaly Sayasone
Succeeded by Phankham Viphavan
14th Prime Minister of Laos
In office
27 March 2001 – 8 June 2006
President Khamtai Siphandon
Preceded by Sisavath Keobounphanh
Succeeded by Bouasone Bouphavanh
Personal details
Born (1938-08-15) 15 August 1938
Savannakhet, Laos
Political party Lao People's Revolutionary
Spouse(s) Khammeung Vorachith

Bounnhang Vorachith (Lao: ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ; born August 15, 1938)[1][2][3] is a Laotian politician who has been General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (de facto leader) and President of Laos (de jure head of state) since 2016. Previously he served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1996 to 2001, as Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006, and as Vice President of Laos from 2006 to 2016.

Early life

Boungnang Vorachith joined the Pathet Lao resistance movement in 1952 and worked in the propaganda department of the armed forces in Savannakhet. In 1954 he was transferred to the fighting troops. He studied in Vietnam from 1957 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.[4]

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 defense 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 March 26, 2001, he was elected Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) of Laos. On June 8, 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.[5]

He became Vice President on June 8, 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.[6] Boungnang Vorachith is married to Khammeung Vorachith and father of three sons and two daughters.

References

  1. ↑ Profile of Bounnhang Vorachith
  2. ↑ http://www.tholakhong.com/2016/01/blog-post_68.html?m=1
  3. ↑ http://laos.cri.cn/741/2016/04/20/222s202245.htm
  4. ↑ "Profile: Laos' new president is last of old guard- Nikkei Asian Review". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  5. ↑ "Profile: Laos' new president is last of old guard- Nikkei Asian Review". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 2017-11-10.
  6. ↑ "Ruling communists in Laos promote VP as country's new leader", Associated Press, 22 January 2016.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Choummaly Sayasone		 General Secretary of the People's Revolutionary Party
2016–present		 Incumbent
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
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