Bounnhang Vorachit

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Bounnhang Vorachit
ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ
Khamtai 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 (age 86)
French Protectorate of Laos
Political partyLao People's Revolutionary Party (1955–present)
SpouseKhammeung Vorachit
Military service
Allegiance Laos
Branch/service LPAF
Rank Colonel[1][2]

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

Early life

Bounnhang Vorachit 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

Savannakhet Province
until 1996, when he became Deputy Prime Minister.

Political career

Prior to becoming Prime Minister in 2001, he served as

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

General Secretary on 22 January 2016, effectively making him the leader of Laos.[7]
Bounnhang Vorachit is married to Khammeung Vorachit and is the father of three sons and two daughters. One of his daughters, Bounkham Vorachit, was elected to the 11th LPRP Central Committee.

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. Archived from the original on August 15, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-02-09. Retrieved 2019-02-09.{{cite web}}: 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". Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  5. ^ "ທ່ານ ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ - China Radio International". laos.cri.cn. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "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. ^ "Laos Communist Party names PM Thongloun as new leader". Reuters. Jan 15, 2021. Retrieved Jan 15, 2021 – via www.reuters.com.

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by General Secretary of the People's Revolutionary Party
2016–2021 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Laos
2001–2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Vice President of Laos
2006–2016 		Succeeded by
Phankham Viphavan
President of Laos
2016–2021 		Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Chairperson of
ASEAN

2016 		Succeeded by
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