General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary PartyIn office
21 March 2006 – 22 January 2016Preceded byKhamtai Siphandone (as Chairman)Succeeded byBounnhang Vorachith5th President of LaosIn office
8 June 2006 – 20 April 2016Prime MinisterBouasone Bouphavanh
Thongsing ThammavongVice PresidentBounnhang VorachithPreceded byKhamtai SiphandonSucceeded byBounnhang Vorachith3rd Vice President of LaosIn office
27 March 2001 – 8 June 2006PresidentKhamtai SiphandonPreceded byOudom KhattignaSucceeded byBounnhang VorachithMinister of National DefenceIn office
15 August 1991 – 27 March 2001Prime MinisterBounnhang Vorachith
Sisavath Keobounphanh
Khamtai SiphandonPreceded byKhamtai SiphandonSucceeded byDouangchay Phichit Personal detailsBorn (1936-03-06) 6 March 1936 (age 88)
Attapeu, French Protectorate of Laos, French IndochinaPolitical party Lao People's Revolutionary PartySpouseKeosaychay Sayasone (m. 1993; died 2021)Military serviceAllegiance Laos

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.

History

Choummaly Sayasone was born in Attapeu. He joined the Party's Politburo in 1991 and was Minister of Defence from 1991 to 2001. Subsequently he was the third Vice President of Laos from 2001 to 2006.

He was elected as the LPRP's General Secretary on 21 March 2006, in the aftermath of the Party's 8th Congress, by the first plenum of the eighth Central Committee, succeeding Khamtai Siphandone as de facto leader of Laos. He subsequently succeeded Siphandon as the 6th President of Laos on 8 June 2006.

In March 2011, he was reelected to his position as the LPRP's General Secretary at the 9th LPRP Congress. In June 2011, he was re-elected as President of Laos at the seventh National Assembly.^[1] He did not seek re-election to the LPRP Central Committee at the 10th LPRP Congress in January 2016, indicating his retirement.^[2] Bounnhang Vorachit was elected to succeed him as General Secretary on 22 January 2016.^[3]

On 4 April 2021, Sayasone and his family were on a yacht in Nam Ngum Lake, when there was a storm and the vessel capsized. Although initially feared dead,^[4] Sayasone survived, but nine people died, including his wife, Keosaychay Sayasone, and his son.^[5][6]

Awards and honors

•  Cuba:
  • Order of José Martí (2015)^[7]
•  Vietnam:
  • Gold Star Order (2006)^[8]

References

Party political offices
Preceded by Khamtai Siphandon	General Secretary of the People's Revolutionary Party 2006–2016	Succeeded by Bounnhang Vorachith
Political offices
Preceded by Khamtai Siphandon	Minister for Defence 1991–2001	Succeeded by Douangchay Phichit
Preceded by Oudom Khattigna	Vice President of Laos 2001–2006	Succeeded by Bounnhang Vorachith
Preceded by Khamtai Siphandon	President of Laos 2006–2016