The following tables present the ranks of theLao People's Armed Forces, which, asa former French dominion, follow a rank system similar to those used by theFrench 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.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 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 | |||||||||||||||
| Lao People's Navy[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 | |||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||
| Laos Police | |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
| ພົນເອກ Phonoek | ພົນໂທ Phonoth | ພົນຕີ Phon ti | ພົນຈັດຕະວາ Phonchadtauaa | ພັນເອກ Phanoek | ພັນໂທ Phanoth | ພັນຕີ Phan ti | ຮ້ອຍເອກ Honyoek | ຮ້ອຍໂທ Hony oth | ຮ້ອຍຕີ Hony ti | |||||||||||||||
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lao People's Navy[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ວາທີ Va thi | ສິບເອກ Sib ek | ສິບໂທ Sib oth | ສິບຕີ Sib ti | ຊັ້ນຫນຶ່ງ Sannung | ຊັ້ນສອງ Sansong | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ວາທີ Va thi | ສິບເອກ Sib ek | ສິບໂທ Sib oth | ສິບຕີ Sib ti | ຊັ້ນຫນຶ່ງ Sannung | ຊັ້ນສອງ Sansong | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
