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.
Lao People's Army
- Officers
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Lao People's Army[1] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ພົນເອກ Phonoek |
ພົນໂທ Phonoth |
ພົນຕີ Phon ti |
ພົນຈັດຕະວາ Phonchadtauaa |
ພັນເອກ Phanoek |
ພັນໂທ Phanoth |
ພັນຕີ Phan ti |
ຮ້ອຍເອກ Honyoek |
ຮ້ອຍໂທ Hony oth |
ຮ້ອຍຕີ Hony ti |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Enlisted
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lao People's Army[1] |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ວາທີ Va thi |
ສິບເອກ Sib ek |
ສິບໂທ Sib oth |
ສິບຕີ Sib ti |
ຊັ້ນຫນຶ່ງ Sannung |
ຊັ້ນສອງ Sansong | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Officers
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laos
|
No equivalent |
|
|
No equivalent | 
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sergeant ສິບເອກ |
Corporal ສິບໂທ |
Leading Seaman ສິບຕຣີ |
Seaman ພົນທະຫານ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force
- Officers
| Rank group | General/Flag/Air officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lao People's Liberation Air Force[1] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ພົນເອກ Phonoek |
ພົນໂທ Phonoth |
ພົນຕີ Phon ti |
ພົນຈັດຕະວາ Phonchadtauaa |
ພັນເອກ Phanoek |
ພັນໂທ Phanoth |
ພັນຕີ Phan ti |
ຮ້ອຍເອກ Honyoek |
ຮ້ອຍໂທ Hony oth |
ຮ້ອຍຕີ Hony ti |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- Enlisted
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lao People's Liberation Air Force[1] |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ວາທີ Va thi |
ສິບເອກ Sib ek |
ສິບໂທ Sib oth |
ສິບຕີ Sib ti |
ຊັ້ນຫນຶ່ງ Sannung |
ຊັ້ນສອງ Sansong | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Laos police force
- Officers
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laos
|
No equivalent |
|
|
No equivalent | 
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sergeant ສິບເອກ |
Corporal ສິບໂທ |
Private first class ສິບຕຣີ |
Private ພົນທະຫານ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
- Uniforminsignia.org (Lao People's Army)
- Uniforminsignia.org (Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force)
- Uniforminsignia.org (Lao Riverine Force)
- ^ a b c d "ທະນບາຊນ ູ ່ ັ້ນາຍ ແລະ ພນທະຫານ ົ ກອງທບັປະຊາຊນລາວ". mod.gov.la (in Lao). Ministry of Defence (Laos). Retrieved 7 June 2021.