Kaysone Phomvihane
| Kaysone Phomvihane | |
|---|---|
| ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ | |
 |
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| 1st Chairman of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party | |
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In office 22 March 1955 – 21 November 1992 |
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| Succeeded by | Khamtai Siphandon |
| President of Laos | |
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In office 15 August 1991 – 21 November 1992 |
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| Prime Minister | Khamtai Siphandon |
| Preceded by | Phoumi Vongvichit |
| Succeeded by | Nouhak Phoumsavanh |
| Prime Minister of Laos | |
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In office 8 December 1975 – 15 August 1991 |
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| President | Phoumi Vongvichit |
| Preceded by | Souvanna Phouma |
| Succeeded by | Khamtai Siphandon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 December 1920 Savannakhet, French Indochina |
| Died | 21 November 1992 (aged 71) Vientiane |
| Political party | Lao People's Revolutionary Party |
Kaysone Phomvihane (Lao: ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ) (13 December 1920 – 21 November 1992) was the leader of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party from 1955 until his death in 1992. He also served as the first Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic from 1975 to 1991 and then as President from 1991 to 1992.
Phomvihane was born Nguyen Cai Song to a Vietnamese father named Nguyen Tri Loan, and a Vietnamese mother named Nang Dok. He had two sisters: Nang Souvanthong, living in Thailand and Nang Kongmany in the USA. He was born in Na Seng village, Khanthabouli district (now Kaysone Phomvihane District, Savannakhet Province), Laos.
Phomvihane attended law school at Hanoi University in Hanoi, Vietnam, 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.
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 January 20, 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, with Souphanouvong as its figurehead. In the years which followed, he led communist forces against the Kingdom of Laos and U.S. forces. After their victory he served as Prime Minister from the founding of the Lao PDR in 1975 until 1991. He married Thongvinh Phomvihane.
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