President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
ປະທານປະເທດ ແຫ່ງ ສປປ ລາວ
Incumbent
Thongloun Sisoulith
since 22 March 2021
StyleHis Excellency
TypeHead of state
Member of
ResidencePresidential Palace, Vientiane
SeatVientiane
NominatorLao People's Revolutionary Party
AppointerNational Assembly
Term lengthFive years, no term limit
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Laos
Inaugural holderSouphanouvong
Formation2 December 1975 (1975-12-02)
DeputyVice President
Salary1,170,000 Kip per month[1]

The president of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is the head of state of Laos. The current president is Thongloun Sisoulith, since 22 March 2021. He was previously elected as the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, Laos' most powerful position in January 2021, ranking him first in the Politburo.

History

Background

The office of the President of the People's Democratic Republic traces its lineage back to Prince Souphanouvong, the first President of the People's Democratic Republic, a member of the deposed royal family and one of the Three Princes, who became President when the former Kingdom of Laos was overthrow by the Pathet Lao in 1975, at the end of the Laotian Civil War.


Duties and rights

Term limits

The president is elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years, with no term limits. A candidate must receive at least two-thirds support from lawmakers present and voting in order to be elected.

Role and authority

The president represents Laos internally and externally, supervises the work as well as preserving the stability of the national governmental system and safeguards the independence and territorial integrity of the country. The President appoints the prime minister, vice president, ministers and other officials with the consent of the National Assembly. Additionally, the President is the commander-in-chief of the Lao People's Armed Forces.

However, as Laos is a one party communist state. The highest and the most powerful political position is the general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, not the President. The general secretary controls the Politburo and the Secretariat, Laos' top decision-making bodies, making the officeholder as de facto leader of Laos. However, the offices have often been held concurrently.

Since Laos is a one-party state, all the presidents of the People's Democratic Republic have been members of the party while holding office.

List of presidents

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Election Prime minister(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Souphanouvong
ສຸພານຸວົງ
(1909–1995)
2 December 1975 29 October 1986 10 years, 331 days None Kaysone Phomvihane
Phoumi Vongvichit
ພູມີ ວົງວິຈິດ
(1909–1994)
Acting
29 October 1986 15 August 1991 4 years, 290 days None Kaysone Phomvihane
2 Kaysone Phomvihane
ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ
(1920–1992)
15 August 1991 21 November 1992 1 year, 98 days 1991 Khamtai Siphandon
3 Nouhak Phoumsavanh
ໜູຮັກ ພູມສະຫວັນ
(1910–2008)
25 November 1992 24 February 1998 5 years, 91 days None Khamtai Siphandon
4 Khamtai Siphandon
ຄຳໄຕ ສີພັນດອນ
(born 1924)
24 February 1998 8 June 2006 8 years, 104 days 1996

2001

Sisavath Keobounphanh

Bounnhang Vorachith

5 Choummaly Sayasone
ຈູມມະລີ ໄຊຍະສອນ
(born 1936)
8 June 2006 20 April 2016 9 years, 317 days 2006

2011

Bouasone Bouphavanh

Thongsing Thammavong

6 Bounnhang Vorachit
ບຸນຍັງ ວໍລະຈິດ
(born 1937)
20 April 2016 22 March 2021 4 years, 336 days 2016 Thongloun Sisoulith
7 Thongloun Sisoulith
ທອງລຸນ ສີສຸລິດ
(born 1945)
22 March 2021 Incumbent 2 years, 302 days 2021 Phankham Viphavanh

Sonexay Siphandone

See also

References

Specific

  1. (in Japanese)Bouangeun Ounnalath. "Comparison on Salary System for Government between Lao PDR and Japan" (PDF). Retrieved 18 July 2019.

Bibliography

Books:

  • Brown, MacAlister; Zasloff, Joseph J. (1986). Apprentice Revolutionaries: The Communist Movement in Laos, 1930–1985. Hoover Institution Press. ISBN 0-8179-8122-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • John, Ronald Bruce St. (2006). Revolution, Reform and Regionalism in Southeast Asia. Routledge. ISBN 0-203-09947-8.
  • Norindr, Chou (1982). "Political Institutions of the Lao People's Democratic Republic". In Stuart-Fox, Martin (ed.). Contemporary Laos: Studies in the Politics and Society of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0-7022-1840-5.
  • Stuart-Fox, Martin (2008). Historical Dictionary of Laos. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-81086-411-5.
  • Stuart-Fox, Martin (1986). Laos: Politics, Economics, and Society. Lynne Rienner Publishers. ISBN 978-1-55587-004-1.

Journal articles:

Report:

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