Choummaly Sayasone

president of Laos

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

Choummaly Sayasone served as the president of Laos and the general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) from 2006 until 2016. As president, he was the head of state, and his position was selected from high-ranking LPRP members. The LPRP has effectively controlled Laos since its establishment in 1975, following a revolution in alliance with Vietnamese communists. The constitution of 1991 designates the LPRP as the leading nucleus of the political system. Sayasone was succeeded by Bounnhang Vorachith in 2016.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Laos
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic
…Vorachith, age 78, to replace Choummaly Sayasone, age 79, as general secretary. In April the National Assembly then elected Bounnhang to succeed Choummaly as president and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith to take over as prime minister from Thongsing Thammavong. Choummaly had served as general secretary and president since 2006, and…
Read More
…Vorachith, age 78, to replace Choummaly Sayasone, age 79, as general secretary. In April the National Assembly then elected Bounnhang to succeed Choummaly as president and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith to take over as prime minister from Thongsing Thammavong. Choummaly had served as general secretary and president since 2006, and…
Read More