Souvanna Phouma | |
|---|---|
ສຸວັນນະພູມາ | |
.jpg) Souvanna in 1969 | |
| 7thPrime Minister of Laos | |
| In office 21 November 1951 – 20 October 1954 | |
| Monarch | Sisavang Vong |
| Preceded by | Phoui Sananikone |
| Succeeded by | Katay Don Sasorith |
| In office 21 March 1956 – 17 August 1958 | |
| Preceded by | Katay Don Sasorith |
| Succeeded by | Phoui Sananikone |
| In office 30 August 1960 – 13 December 1960 | |
| Monarch | Sisavang Vatthana |
| Preceded by | Somsanith Vongkotrattana |
| Succeeded by | Boun Oum |
| In office 23 June 1962 – 2 December 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Boun Oum |
| Succeeded by | Kaysone Phomvihane |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 7 October 1901 |
| Died | 10 January 1984(1984-01-10) (aged 82) |
| Party | National Progressive Party Lao Neutralist Party |
| Spouse | [1] |
PrinceSouvanna Phouma (Lao:ສຸວັນນະພູມາ; 7 October 1901 – 10 January 1984)[2] was the leader of the neutralist faction andPrime Minister of theKingdom of Laos several times (1951–1954, 1956–1958, 1960, and 1962–1975).
Souvanna Phouma was the son ofBounkhong, the last vice-king ofLuang Prabang and a nephew of KingSisavang Vong of Laos, given a French education inHanoi,Paris andGrenoble, where he obtained his degree inarchitecture andengineering.[3] He returned to his homeland in 1931, marriedAline Claire Allard, the daughter of a French father and a Lao mother, and entered the Public Works Service of French Indochina.
Souvanna Phouma, together with his brother, PrincePhetsarath Rattanavongsa (1891–1959) and his half-brother, PrinceSouphanouvong (1909–1995), around the end of World War II, joined theLao Issara (Free Laos) movement established to counter the French occupation and its provisional Vientiane government (1945–46).
When the French reoccupied Laos, Souvanna fled to exile inBangkok, but returned to Laos in 1949 as France began conceding autonomy to Laos.
Souvanna Phouma and his wife had four children includingMangkra Souvanna Phouma and Princess Moune, who married Perry J. Stieglitz, cultural-affairs attaché of the U.S. embassy.[1][4]
In 1951, Souvanna becamePrime Minister of Laos under theNational Progressive Party banner with a landslide victory, winning 15 of the 39 seats in theNational Assembly. He was prime minister until 1954.
After elections in December 1955, Souvanna Phouma returned to the prime ministership on a platform of national reconciliation. In August 1956 Souvanna and the CommunistPathet Lao—which his half-brotherSouphanouvong headed—agreed on broad proposals for a 'government of national union'. Elections for 21 extra assembly seats were finally held in May 1958, with parties aligned with the Pathet Lao acquiring 13.Souphanouvong entered the government as Economic Minister. Another Pathet Lao leader,Phoumi Vongvichit, acquired the Ministry of Religion and Fine Arts.
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In June 1958 Souvanna was again forced to resign by the rightists.[citation needed] The king accepted the vote as legal the next day when he signed Royal Ordinance No. 282, dismissing Souvanna Phouma's government and giving powers provisionally to the Revolutionary Committee. Royal Ordinance No. 283, approved a provisional government formed by Prince Boun Oum, who acted as front man forPhoui Sananikone. He was one of theThree Princes, whomSisavang Vatthana appointed to form a coalition government between the rightists and Pathet Lao but it collapsed, and theLaotian Civil War began.
Souvanna Phouma was elected President ofNational Assembly from May 1960 to August 1960 following the 1960 elections.[2]
After the end of the civil war he became an advisor to the new Lao PDR government and died in Vientiane in 1984.[5]
Kingdom of Laos: Grand Cross and Officer of theOrder of the Million Elephants and the White ParasolKingdom of Laos: Commander of theOrder of Civic Merit of LaosKingdom of Laos: Order of the Reign, Sisavang Vong and Sisavang Vatthana types[6]
France:Officier of theLegion of Honour
Malaysia: Honorary Grand Commander of theOrder of the Defender of the Realm (1971)[7]
Thailand: Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of theOrder of the White Elephant
Cambodia: Grand Cross of theRoyal Order of Cambodia
Japan: Grand Cordon of theOrder of the Rising Sun
Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of theOrder of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Philippines: Grand Collar of theOrder of Sikatuna{{cite book}}:|website= ignored (help)| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Laos 1951–1954 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Laos 1956–1958 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Laos 1960 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Laos 1962–1975 | Succeeded by |
| Kingdom of Laos (1945–1975) | |
|---|---|
| Lao People's Democratic Republic (1975–) | |
† military | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
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