Laos • ປະເທດ ລາວ [Pathet Lao]

1353: kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao
1707: kingdoms of Luang Phrabang (Lan Xang) and Vientiane (Viang Chan)
03.1765-1772: Lan Xang under Burmese suzerainty
1772-1795: Lan Xang under Siamese suzerainty
1781-1828: Vientiane under Siamese suzerainty
1795-1828: Lan Xang vassal of Vietnam
12.11.1828: Vientiane annexed by Siam
17.10.1887: Vientiane a French colony
03.10.1893: French protectorate of Laos (Protectorat du Laos) - part of French Indochina
22.11.1904: Nakhon Champasak joined to protectorate
23.03.1907: west-bank Champasak and Xainyaburi provinces ceded by Siam (annexed by Thailand 09.05.1941-12.1946)
21.08.1941: Vientiane and Xiang Khuang incorporated into Luang Phrabang
08.04.1945: royal proclamation by Luang Phrabang declares end to French protectorate (under Japanese occupation)
15.09.1945: unification (of Luang Phrabang and Nakhon Champasak) proclaimed
- Kingdom of Laos • ພຣະຣາຊອານາຈັກລາວ [Phra Rax Anachak Lao]
23.09.1945-12.03.1946: Allied occupation (Chinese; below 16th parallel: British)
23.04.1946: autonomous part of French Union (Royaume du Laos)
27.08.1946: unification of Laos recognized
19.07.1949: associated state of French Union
22.10.1953: independence proclaimed
21.07.1954: recognized by France
14.12.1955: member of United Nations
02.12.1975: Lao People's Democratic Republic • ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ
[Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxôn Lao] • République démocratique populaire lao

Area: 236,800 km²
Population: 6,800,000 (2008 est.)
Capital: ວຽງຈັນ [Viang Chan] - Vientiane
 Royal Capital (1695-1975): ຫລວງພຣະບາງ [Luang Phrabang]
Currency: 1 ກີບ [kip, LAK] = 100 ອັດ [att]
GDP per capita: ~ $ 2,100
Ethnic groups: Lao 54.6%, Khmou 10.9%, Hmong 8%, Tai 3.8%, Phouthay 3.3%, other 19.4% (2005)
Official language: Lao; French also used

Merchant marine: 1 ship (2008)
Coastline: landlocked country
Waterways: 4,600 km
Military service: 15 years of age for compulsory military service; minimum 18-month conscript service obligation
Military expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2006)

President: Lieutenant General Choummaly Xainyasone (08.06.2006)
Prime Minister: Bouasone Bouphavanh (08.06.2006)
National Defence Minister: Lieutenant General Douangchai Phichit (2001)
Major wars & other armed conflicts

1958-1959: North Vietnamese incursions
09-12.1960: civil war (between rightists and neutralists)
1964-1973: civil war with Pathet Lao (communists)
1968-1973: North Vietnamese forces supporting Pathet Lao
Since 1975: Hmong insurgency
12.1987-02.1988: border war with Thailand (in north-west)


» List of boats «

1952: National Army of Laos established (Armée Nationale du Laos)
1954 or 1955: riverine naval unit formed
1962: Royal Army of Laos • Armée Royale du Laos
1968: separate Royal Lao Navy • ກອງທັບເຮືອ ລາວ [Kongthup Hua Lao] • Marine Royale du Laos
1975: Lao People's Army • ກອງທັບ ປະຊາຊົນ ລາວ [Kongthup Paxaxôn Lao] with riverine (or marine) section

Commander and Chief of Staff, RLN: 1968-1975 Col. Samdach Sinthnavong Kindavong
Personnel: 550 (1974), 500-600 (1980s-1990s)
Organisation (c.1962-1975): 4 squadrons
Bases - all at Mekong river (Ménam Khong): Vientiane (probably main), Luang Phrabang, Kaysone Phômvihane
(until 2005 named Khanthabouli), Pakxé, maybe also Thakhek

Ensigns

19th C.-1947

05.1947-12.1975:

Since 12.1975:
 Ranks insignia Map


Kings of Luang Phrabang (ຫລວງພຣະບາງ) or Lan Xang (ລ້ານຊ້າງ):
1707-1713 Kingkitsarath = Kinkidaraja († 1713)
1713-1723 Ong Kham = Khatiyavarman († 1731)
1723-1749 Inthason (Thao Ang) = Indrasena († 1749)
1749 Intharavongsa (Inthaphom) = Indravarman († 1776)
1749-1768 Thieuphong Sotika Koumane = Jathika Kumararaja († 1771)
1768-1788 Suryavong = Suriyavarman II (1751?-1791)
1788-1792 Siamese occupation
03.02.1792-31.12.1819 Anuruthat = Anaradhuratta (1735/37-1819)
1793-02.06.1794 Siamese occupation
31.12.1819-07.03.1837 Manthaturath = Mangtaduraja (1772-1837)
1837-1838 regent: Samdach Oun Keo († 1850)
1838-23.09.1850 Sukha Seum = Sukrasumaya (1797-1850)
23.09.1850-01.10.1868 Chantha Koumane (Nantharath) = Chandra Kumararaja (1799-1868)
01.10.1868-15.12.1895 Mahinthon Thep Naphaphone (Oun Kham) = Mahindradeva Dipakara (1811-1895)
15.12.1895-25.03.1904 Sakkarin (Kham Souk) = Sakarindra (regent since 04.1888) (1840-1904)
26.03.1904-27.08.1946 Sisavang Vong (Khao) = Sri Savanga Varman (1885-1959)

Kings of Vientiane (ວຽງຈັນ):
1707-1730 Sethathirath II (Oung Lo, Say Ong Hue) = Jayasetha Adiraja (1685-1730)
1730-1767 Oung Long = Ungalankaya
1767-1778 Bounsan (Oung Boun) = Bunyasena (1730-1781)
1778-1780 Siamese governor: Phraya Supho († 1780)
1780-21.11.1781 Bounsan
28.11.1781-01.1795 Nanthasen = Anandasena († 1795)
02.02.1795-07.02.1805 Intharavong Sethathirath III = Indravarman Jaya Jathadiraja († 1805)
07.02.1805-12.11.1828 Saya Sethathirath IV (Anouvong) = Jaya Sridatha Adiraja (1767-1829)

Kings of Champasak (ຈຳປາສັກ):
1713-1738 Samout Phouthong Koune (Nokasat Song) = Sri Samudha Bhuddhankana (c.1690-1738)
1738-1791 Photi Saya Koumane = Bodhi Jayakumara (regent since 1725) (1710-1791)
Princes:
1791-1811 Vichaiyarat Khattiyavongsa (Fai Na) = Vijayaraja Khatiyavarman († 1811)
1811 (3 days)Nou = Anuya († 1811)
Kings:
1811-1813 Boua (Cha Nou) = Buwana († 1813)
1813-1819 Pham Manoi = Bhama Mahanuya († 1821)
12.1819-1826 Siamese occupation
Princes:
1821-1826 Oupahat Rathabut Youv († 1829)
1826/27-1840 Hui (1780-1840)
1840-1851 Nak = Naraksha (1774-1851)
1851-1852 Boua II = Buwana († 1852)
1852-1855/56 interregnum
1855/56-1858 Youtti I Thammasunthon (Kham Nhai) = Yudhidharma Sundaragana (1830-1858)
1858-1862/63 interregnum
1862/63-28.07.1900 Youtti II Thammathone (Kham Suk) = Yudhidharma Dhana (1838-1900)
28.07.1900-06.1946 Bua Laphan Ratsadany = Buwarabarna Rajadhaniya (1874-1946)
06.1946-27.08.1946 Boun Oum (1912-1980)

Viceroys of Luang Phrabang:
1768-1792 Samdach Anuruthad
1792-1819 ...
1819-c.1828 Samdach Sutharath († 1828/36)
c.1829-1837 Samdach Bua Kham
1838-1850 Samdach Oun Keo
1851-10.1868 Samdach Oun Kham
1868-1878 ...
1878-1884 Samdach Souvannaphromma († 1887)
1884-1889 Samdach Boun Khong († 1920)
1889-af.1895 Samdach Sisuphan
bf.1910-1919 Samdach Boun Khong
Inspectors-General of Kingdom (Luang Phrabang):
1919-1925 Samdach Khieo Sisaleumsak Raxamphanthavong (1885-1969)
1925-1927 Samdach Souvannarath (1893-1960)
1927-1941 ...

General commissioner:
05.06.1894-04.1895 Auguste-Jean-Marie Pavie (1847-1925)
Superior resident (Résident-superieur):
09.1895-03.1896 Léon-Jules Boulloche (1855-?)
Superior commandants of Haut-Laos:
03.1896-04.1897 Joseph Vacle
05.1897-10.1898 Paul-Louis Luce
10.1898-04.1899 Joseph Vacle
Superior residents:
04.1899-04.1903 Marie-Auguste-Armand Tournier
04.1903-08.1903 vacant
08.1903-05.1906 acting: Georges-Marie-Joseph Mahé
05.1906-04.1907 acting: Louis-Saturnin Laffont
04.1907-01.1912 Georges-Marie-Joseph Mahé
01.1912-07.1913 acting: Louis-Antoine-Aubry de la Noé
07.1913-10.1913 acting: Claude-Léon Garnier
10.1913-02.1914 acting: Jean-Édouard Bourcier Saint-Chaffray (1870-?)
02.1914-05.1914 vacant
05.1914-05.1918 acting: Claude-Léon Garnier
06.1918-03.1931 Jules-Georges-Théodore Bosc
03.1931-06.1931 Yves-Charles Chatel (1865-1944)
06.1931-10.1931 acting: Paul-Raymond Octane Le Boulanger
10.1931-02.1932 acting: Jules-Nicolas Thiebaut
02.1932-10.1933 Aristide-Eugène Le Fol
10.1933-01.1934 acting: Adrien-Antoine-Maurice Roques
01.1934-07.1934 acting: Louis-Frédéric Eckert
07.1934-08.1934 acting: Adrien-Antoine-Maurice Roques
08.1934-04.1938 Eugène-Henri-Roger Eutrope
04.1938-11.1940 André Touzet
11.1940-12.1941 acting: Adrien-Antoine-Maurice Roques
12.1941-04.1945 Louis-Antoine-Marie Brasey (1891-?)


King (Rath):
15.09.1945-20.10.1945 Sisavang Vong
President of Provisional National Assembly:
20.10.1945-23.04.1946 Samdach Phetsarath Rattanavongsa
Kings:
23.04.1946-29.10.1959 Sisavang Vong
30.10.1959-29.11.1975 Savang Vatthana = Sri Savanga Vadhana (1907-1978/84)

Prime ministers:
21.08.1941-20.10.1945 Samdach Phetsarath Rattanavongsa
20.10.1945-23.04.1946 Samdach Phaya Khammao (1911-1984)
23.04.1946-15.03.1947 Samdach Kindavong (1900-1951)
15.03.1947-25.03.1948 Samdach Souvannarath (1893-1960)
25.03.1948-24.02.1950 Samdach Boun Oum Na Champasak (1912-1962)
24.02.1950-15.10.1951 Phoui Sananikone (1903-1983)
15.10.1951-21.11.1951 acting: Samdach Savang Vatthana
21.11.1951-20.10.1954 Samdach Khampheng Souvannaphouma (1901-1984)
20.10.1954-25.11.1954 vacant
25.11.1954-21.03.1956 Katay Don Sasorith (1904-1959)
21.03.1956-17.08.1958 Samdach Khampheng Souvannaphouma
17.08.1958-31.12.1959 Phoui Sananikone
31.12.1959-07.01.1960 Général Sounthone Pathammavong (1911-)
07.01.1960-03.06.1960 Kou Abhay (1892-1964)
03.06.1960-11.08.1960 Samdach Somsanith Vongkot Rattana (1913-1975)
11.08.1960-15.08.1960 acting: Captain Kong Lé
16.08.1960-09.12.1960 Samdach Khampheng Souvannaphouma
11.12.1960-13.12.1960 Quinim Pholsena (1915-1963)
13.12.1960-23.06.1962 Samdach Boun Oum Na Champasak
23.06.1962-02.12.1975 Samdach Khampheng Souvannaphouma

Military commander:
09.1945-03.1946 General Lú Hàn (1896-1974)
Commissioners:
25.08.1945-04.1946 acting: Hans Imfeld (1902-1947)
04.1946-07.1947 Jean-Léon-François-Marie de Raymond (1907-1951)
07.1947-03.1948 acting: Maurice-Marie-Auguste Michaudel (1901-1975)
03.1948-12.1949 acting: Alfred-Gabriel-Joseph Valmary (1901-1970)
12.1949-04.1953 Robert Regnier
04.1953-01.1954 Miguel Joaquin de Pereyra


Presidents:
03.12.1975-15.08.1991 Samdach Outthong Souphanouvong (1909-1995)
31.10.1986-15.08.1991 acting: Phoumi Vongvichit (1909-1994)
15.08.1991-21.11.1992 Kaysone Phômvihane (Nguyen Cai Song) (1920-1992)
25.11.1992-24.02.1998 Nouhak Phoumsavan (1914-2008)
24.02.1998-08.06.2006 General Khamtai Siphandon (1924-)
08.06.2006- Lieutenant General Choummaly Xainyasone (1936-)

Chairmen of the Council of Ministers:
08.12.1975-15.08.1991 Kaysone Phômvihane
15.08.1991-24.02.1998 General Khamtai Siphandon
24.02.1998-27.03.2001 General Sisavath Keobounphan (1928-)
27.03.2001-08.06.2006 Bounnyang Vorachith (1937-)
08.06.2006- Bouasone Bouphavanh (1954-)

General secretaries (29.03.1991-21.03.2006 chairmen) of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (Phak Paxaxôn Pativat Lao):
02.1972-21.11.1992 Kaysone Phômvihane
25.11.1992-21.03.2006 General Khamtai Siphandon
21.03.2006- Lieutenant General Choummaly Xainyasone

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