Military ranks of the Lao People's Armed Forces

The following tables present the ranks of the Lao People's Armed Forces, which, as a former French dominion, follow a rank system similar to those used by the French Armed Forces. The design closely follows the Soviet pattern, with two important exceptions: 1) senior officers have a broad coloured stripe instead of two narrow stripes used in the Soviet model; 2) stars are of equal size for all the ranks.

Laos land forces

Officers

Equivalent NATO Code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) & Student officer
Laos (Edit)	No equivalent																								Unknown
			General (ພົນເອກ)		Lieutenant general (ພົນໂທ)		Major general (ພົນຕີ)		Brigadier general (ພົນຈັດຕະວາ)		Colonel (ພັນເອກ)		Lieutenant Colonel (ພັນໂທ)		Major (ພັນຕີ)		Captain (ຮ້ອຍເອກ)		Lieutenant (ຮ້ອຍໂທ)			Second Lieutenant (ຮ້ອຍຕີ)

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Laos (Edit)	No equivalent																										No equivalent
																	Sergeant ສິບເອກ						Corporal ສິບໂທ						Private First Class ສິບຕຣີ						Private ພົນທະຫານ

Laos riverine force

Officers

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Laos	No equivalent																								Unknown
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant
Lao			ພົນເອກ		ພົນໂທ		ພົນຕີ		ພົນຈັດຕະວາ		ພັນເອກ		ພັນໂທ		ພັນຕີ		ຮ້ອຍເອກ		ຮ້ອຍໂທ			ຮ້ອຍຕີ

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Laos	No equivalent																										No equivalent
																	Sergeant ສິບເອກ						Corporal ສິບໂທ						Leading Seaman ສິບຕຣີ						Seaman ພົນທະຫານ

Laos air force

Officers

Equivalent NATO Code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Laos (Edit)	No equivalent																								Unknown
			General (ພົນເອກ)		Lieutenant general (ພົນໂທ)		Major general (ພົນຕີ)		Brigadier general (ພົນຈັດຕະວາ)		Colonel (ພັນເອກ)		Lieutenant Colonel (ພັນໂທ)		Major (ພັນຕີ)		Captain (ຮ້ອຍເອກ)		Lieutenant (ຮ້ອຍໂທ)			Second Lieutenant (ຮ້ອຍຕີ)

Enlisted

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Laos (Edit)	No equivalent																										No equivalent
																	Sergeant						Corporal						Private First Class						Private

References

• Uniforminsignia.org (Lao People´s Army)
• Uniforminsignia.org (Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force)
• Uniforminsignia.org (Lao Riverine Force)