Kaysone Phomvihane

Kaysone Phomvihane
ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ
Kaysone Phomvihane in 1978
1st General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (Party chair from 1991 to 1992)[a]
In office 22 March 1955 – 21 November 1992
Succeeded by	Khamtai Siphandon
2nd President of Laos
In office 15 August 1991 – 21 November 1992
Prime Minister	Khamtai Siphandon
Preceded by	Phoumi Vongvichit (Acting)
Succeeded by	Nouhak Phoumsavanh
11th Prime Minister of Laos
In office 8 December 1975 – 15 August 1991
President	Souphanouvong Phoumi Vongvichit (Acting)
Preceded by	Souvanna Phouma
Succeeded by	Khamtai Siphandon
Personal details
Born	Nguyễn Cai Song (1920-12-13)13 December 1920 Savannakhet, French Indochina
Died	21 November 1992(1992-11-21) (aged 71) Vientiane, Laos
Political party	Lao People's Revolutionary Party
Spouse	Thongvin Phomvihane
Relatives	Santiphab (son) Sanyahak (son) Saysomphone (son) Thongsavanh (son)
a. ^ General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Party until February 1972; General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party until March 1991; Chairman of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party since March 1991

Kaysone Phomvihane (Template:Lang-lo; 13 December 1920 – 21 November 1992) was the first leader of the Communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party from 1955 until his death in 1992. After the Communists seized power in the wake of the Laotian Civil War, he was the de facto leader of Laos from 1975 until his death. He served as the first Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic from 1975 to 1991 and then as the second President from 1991 to 1992.

Biography

Kaysone was born Nguyễn Cai Song (although he also used the name Nguyễn Trí Mưu for a short period in the 1930s) in Na Seng village, Khanthabouli district, French Indochina (now Kaysone Phomvihane District, Savannakhet Province, Laos). His father, Nguyễn Trí Loan, was Vietnamese and his mother, Nang Dok, was Lao. He had two sisters: Nang Souvanthong, living in Thailand, and Nang Kongmany, who lived in the USA.

Kaysone attended law school at University of Indochina in Hanoi, with Nouhak Phoumsavan. He dropped out of law school to fight the French colonialists who were in Vietnam. Later, he joined the Pathet Lao movement, which was also fighting the French colonialists.

Materials used by Kaysone Phomvihane in an oath-taking ceremony in 1948

He became an active revolutionary while studying in the Indochinese capital of Hanoi (now the capital of Vietnam) during the 1940s. The Lao People's Liberation Army (LPLA) was established by Kaysone Phomvihane on 20 January 1949. He was minister of defence of Resistance Government (of the Neo Lao Issara) from 1950. In 1955 he was instrumental in setting up the LPRP at Sam Neua in northern Laos, and subsequently served as the Pathet Lao leader. For several years, he mostly stayed in the background, with "Red Prince" Souphanouvong serving as the Pathet Lao's figurehead. In the years which followed, he led communist forces against the Kingdom of Laos and U.S. forces.

Kaysone came out of the shadows in December 1975, shortly after the Pathet Lao took Vientiane, and seized control of the country. At a National Conference of People's Representatives that opened on December 1, Kaysone declared the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of a republic. The following day, on a motion by presiding officer Kaysone, the National Conference accepted King Sisavang Vatthana's abdication, abolished the monarchy, and proclaimed the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Kaysone nominated Souphanouvong as first president, and Kaysone was named prime minister. He held that post until becoming president in 1991, a post he held until his death in 1992. He married Thongvinh Phomvihane.

Under Kaysone's watch, the process of demarcating the border between Laos and Vietnam started in 1977 and finished in 2007. According to Western journalists, the Lao/Viet borderline is "very close" to the 1945 border between Laos and Tonkin and Annam, respectively.

According to Vatthana Pholsena, assistant professor of Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and author of the book "Post-war Laos", Kaysone Phomvihane was the top policy maker in LPDR, and a strongman. He created Sekong Province to honour the southern minority for their support in the war effort.

Kaysone Phomvihane Museum

Kaysone died in Laos's capital, Vientiane. After Kaysone's death, the government of Laos built a museum in Kaysone's honour in Vientiane, partially funded by Vietnam.

In 2012, his cremated ashes were transferred from their original resting place to the newly built National Cemetery.

Kaysone Phomvihane on a 2000 Kip banknote from 2011

Family

His younger son, Sanyahak Phomvihane, was elected to the LPRP Central Committee at the 8th LPRP Congress and became a Major General at the age of 40 in 2008. However, he suffered an early death, at the age of 45, on 19 July 2013. His elder son, Xaysomphone Phomvihane (born 10 October 1954) served as President of the Lao Front for National Construction and currently serves as President of the National Assembly. His other son, Santiphap Phomvihane, currently serves as Governor of Savannakhet Province.

Foreign honours

• Thailand: Knight of the Order of the Rajamitrabhorn
• Cuba: Grand Cross of the Order of José Martí
• Vietnam: Gold Star Order
• Philippines: Grand Collar of the Order of Sikatuna
• Indonesia: Star of the Republic of Indonesia, 1st Class
• Austria: Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
• Soviet Union:
  • Order of Lenin
  • Order of Friendship of Peoples

See also

• Kaysone Phomvihane Museum