The Most Famous

POLITICIANS from Laos

This page contains a list of the greatest Laotian Politicians. The pantheon dataset contains 19,576 Politicians, 17 of which were born in Laos. This makes Laos the birth place of the 105th most number of Politicians behind Panama, and Guinea-Bissau.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Laotian Politicians of all time. This list of famous Laotian Politicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Laotian Politicians.

1. Thongloun Sisoulith (b. 1946)

With an HPI of 65.39, Thongloun Sisoulith is the most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 41 different languages on wikipedia.

Thongloun Sisoulith (Lao: ທອງລຸນ ສີສຸລິດ; born 10 November 1945) is a Laotian historian and politician serving as General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party since 15 January 2021 and President of Laos since 22 March 2021. Thongloun was born and educated in Houaphan province, before receiving education in Leningrad and Moscow in the Soviet Union. During the Laotian Civil War, he supported the Pathet Lao as a teacher. He then became the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1987 which lasted to 1992, where he then served in numerous other posts in government. In 2001, he became the Deputy Prime Minister of Laos before becoming the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2006. Described as a 'moderate' by the U.S embassy in Vientiane, Thongloun helped improve Laos-United States relations, which was welcomed in 2009 by Senator Jim Webb and in 2010 by Hillary Clinton; while also improving Laos' relationship with China and Vietnam. In 2016, he became the prime minister of Laos where he undertook anti-corruption campaigns. He then became the General Secretary of the LPRP and the President in 2021.

2. Souphanouvong (1909 - 1995)

With an HPI of 64.12, Souphanouvong is the 2nd most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 40 different languages.

Prince Souphanouvong (13 July 1909 – 9 January 1995; Lao: ສຸພານຸວົງ Lao pronunciation: [ˌsupʰaːˈnuʋoŋ]), nicknamed the Red Prince, was along with his half-brother Prince Souvanna Phouma and Prince Boun Oum of Champasak, one of the "Three Princes" who represented respectively the communist (pro-Vietnam), neutralist and royalist political factions in Laos. He was the President of Laos from December 1975 to October 1986.

3. Bounnhang Vorachith (b. 1938)

With an HPI of 61.97, Bounnhang Vorachith is the 3rd most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 48 different languages.

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

4. Choummaly Sayasone (b. 1936)

With an HPI of 61.62, Choummaly Sayasone is the 4th most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 47 different languages.

Lieutenant General Choummaly Sayasone (Lao: ຈູມມະລີ ໄຊຍະສອນ; born 6 March 1936) is a Laotian politician who was General Secretary (supreme leader) of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos (head of state) from 2006 to 2016.

5. Fa Ngum (1316 - 1393)

With an HPI of 59.46, Fa Ngum is the 5th most famous Laotian Politician. Her biography has been translated into 21 different languages.

Somdetch Brhat-Anya Fa Ladhuraniya Sri Sadhana Kanayudha Maharaja Brhat Rajadharana Sri Chudhana Negara (Lao: ສົມເດັດ ພຣະບາດ ອັນຍາ ຟ້າ ລັດທຸຣັນຍາ ສຣີ ສັດຕະນາ ຄະນະຍຸດທາ ມະຫາຣາຊ໌ ພຣະບາດ ຣາຊະທໍຣະນາ ສຣີ ສັດຕະນະ ນະຄອນ), better known as Fa Ngum (Laotian: ຟ້າງູ່ມ [fâː ŋūːm]; 1316 – 1393, born in Muang Sua, died in Nan), established the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang in 1353.

6. Sisavang Vatthana (1907 - 1978)

With an HPI of 59.14, Sisavang Vatthana is the 6th most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Sisavang Vatthana (Lao: ພຣະບາທສົມເດັຈພຣະເຈົ້າມະຫາຊີວິຕສີສວ່າງວັດທະນາ) or sometimes Savang Vatthana (full title: Samdach Brhat Chao Mavattaha Sri Vitha Lan Xang Hom Khao Phra Rajanachakra Lao Phengdara Parama Sidha Khattiya Suriya Varman Brhat Maha Sri Savangsa Vadhana; 13 November 1907 – 13 May 1978) was the last king of the Kingdom of Laos and the 6th prime minister of Laos serving from 29 October to 21 November 1951. He ruled from 1959 after his father's death until his forced abdication in 1975. His rule ended with the takeover by the Pathet Lao in 1975, after which he and his family were sent to a re-education camp by the new government.

7. Sisavang Vong (1885 - 1959)

With an HPI of 58.46, Sisavang Vong is the 7th most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 28 different languages.

King Sisavangvong (Lao: ພຣະບາທສົມເດັຈພຣະເຈົ້າມະຫາຊີວິຕສີສວ່າງວົງສ໌; born Prince Khao (ຂາວ) 14 July 1885 – 29 October 1959), known by his courtesy name Sisavangvong, was the last ruler of the Lao Kingdom of Luang Prabang and the founding king of the Kingdom of Laos. Born Prince Khao on 14 July 1885, he ascended the throne at the age of 18 following the death of his father. In keeping with Lao tradition, he took the courtesy name Sisavangvong. Born in the Golden Palace of Luang Prabang during his father's reign under French colonial authority, Prince Khao extended his rule over other Lao kingdoms and built a new royal palace during his reign over Luang Prabang. He briefly ruled as king of the Japanese puppet state of Luang Prabang in late 1945, but was dethroned by the Lao Issara for his pro-French stance. He was later reinstated as monarch by the French in 1946, marking the first time in almost 250 years that a Lao monarch ruled the whole of Laos.

8. Souvanna Phouma (1901 - 1984)

With an HPI of 58.08, Souvanna Phouma is the 8th most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 34 different languages.

Prince Souvanna Phouma (Lao: ສຸວັນນະພູມາ; 7 October 1901 – 10 January 1984) was the leader of the neutralist faction and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Laos several times (1951–1954, 1956–1958, 1960, and 1962–1975).

9. Khamtai Siphandon (b. 1924)

With an HPI of 56.87, Khamtai Siphandon is the 9th most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 33 different languages.

General Khamtai Siphandone (Lao: ຄຳໄຕ ສີພັນດອນ; born 8 February 1924) is a Laotian politician who was Chairman of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party from 24 November 1992 to 21 March 2006 and President of Laos from 24 February 1998 to 8 June 2006, when he was replaced by Choummaly Sayasone. He was a member of the Communist Party of Indochina in 1954 and a member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party in 1956.

10. Thongsing Thammavong (b. 1944)

With an HPI of 55.82, Thongsing Thammavong is the 10th most famous Laotian Politician. His biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Thongsing Thammavong (Lao: ທອງສິງ ທຳມະວົງ; born 12 April 1944) is a Laotian politician who was the Prime Minister of Laos from 2010 to 2016. He is a member of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and has been a member of the LPRP Politburo since 1991. He currently serves in the National Assembly of Laos, representing Luang Prabang Province (Constituency 6), and was the President of the National Assembly from 2006 to 2010. He became Prime Minister on 23 December 2010, and left office on 20 April 2016.

People

Pantheon has 18 people classified as Laotian politicians born between 1316 and 1954. Of these 18, 7 (38.89%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Laotian politicians include Thongloun Sisoulith, Bounnhang Vorachith, and Choummaly Sayasone. The most famous deceased Laotian politicians include Souphanouvong, Fa Ngum, and Sisavang Vatthana. As of April 2024, 1 new Laotian politicians have been added to Pantheon including Pany Yathotou.