Condolences on the passing of General Sisavath Keobounphanh

The Central Executive Committee, National Assembly, government, Lao Front for National Development and the Keobounphanh family wish to inform Party members, officials, army personnel and compatriots of the sad passing of General Sisavath Keobounphanh following a long illness.

General Sisavath Keobounphanh served on the Party Central Committee during periods I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII, was Party Central Committee Secretary during periods III and IV, and a Politburo member during periods IV, VI, VII and VIII.
He also formerly served as the nation’s Prime Minister, Vice President, President of the Lao Front for National Development, Chief of General Staff of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Army, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, Minister of Public Security, Party Committee Secretary, Chairman of the Vientiane Administration Committee, and Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. He was also the Chairman of the Campaign Committee to set up the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union.
State and Party organisations, General Sisavath’s family, and Lao and foreign medical experts gave him the best possible medical care, but he died at 7 on May 12 aged 92.
General Sisavath was dedicated to his country and to the revolution and will be forever remembered for his bravery and for being one of the first generation of leaders to establish the Party and the Lao People’s Army.
The Central Executive Committee, the National Assembly, the government, and the Lao Front for National Development have agreed on an official mourning period of five days, from May 12-16.
The funeral took place at the Meeting Hall of the General Political Department, Ministry of National Defence. An official funeral ceremony will take place on May 16 at 1 pm on the That Luang esplanade.
General Sisivath was born on May 1, 1928, in Houay Kaluen village, Viengxay district, Huaphan province, and was the son of Mr Bounsou and Mrs Ban.  He married La Keobounphanh and they had four daughters, all of whom now live in Nongbone village, Xaysettha district, Vientiane.
General Sisivath’s key roles in the revolutionary movement were as follows:
- 1947-1948 Soldier in a military unit for the armed forces campaign in the north.
 - 1948-1949 Campaign official for the construction of secret bases in northern Laos.
- 1950 Member of the Communist Party of Indochina.
- 1949-1952 Chief of the political division of the Latsavong military unit.
- 1952-1954 Chief of the military division of the Latsavong unit and deputy chief of the mixed Laos-Vietnam battalion which liberated Hiem district, Paklao, Bansae and Bansone and created a stronghold in northern Laos.
- 1954-1955 Nationwide ceasefire commissioner between the three Indochinese nations and the French.
-  On May 22, 1955, the day of the Party’s establishment and the first Party Congress, he was elected to the first Party Central Executive Committee of the Lao People’s Party. In the same year he was elected to the military Party Committee and appointed as a deputy commander-in-chief of the Lao People’s Liberation Army.
- 1956-1960 Appointed secretary of the Party Committee and was a military commander of the gathering area in Xamneua, where he presided over the election of a revolutionary delegation, and was appointed commander of the liberation of Huaphan province for the second time, and commander of the liberation of the Plain of Jars.
-                  1962 Led the battle to liberate Luang Namtha.
- 1960-1976 Appointed commander-in-chief of the Lao People’s Liberation Army.
 - 1972 At the second Party Congress he was elected to the first Party Central Executive Committee during its second period.
- 1976-1980 Commander-in-chief of the Lao People’s Liberation Army, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, and Chairman of the Vientiane Administration Committee.
 - 1982 At the third Party Congress he was elected to the first Party Central Executive Committee during its third period, and was Party Central Committee Secretary, commander-in-chief, Minister of National Defence, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Chairman of the Vientiane Municipality Administration Committee.
- 1982 Appointed head of the body responsible for arranging the 1st Lao Youth Congress.
- 1983 The Party Central Committee and government agreed to decorate him with the rank of General.
- 1983-1984 Studied advanced political theory in Hanoi, Vietnam.
- 1985 Appointed Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Vientiane Municipality Administration Committee.
- 1986 At the fourth Party Congress, he was elected a member of the Party Central Committee, a Politburo member and Party Central Secretary, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Chairman of the Vientiane Municipality Administration Committee.
- 1987-1988 Headed the ceasefire agreement with Thailand.
- 1991 At the fifth Party Congress, he was elected to the Party Central Committee and was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
- 1996- At the sixth Party Congress he was elected a Politburo member.
- 1996-1998 Elected Vice President of Laos.
- 1998-2001 Elected Prime Minister of Laos.
- 2002-2010 At the seventh Party Congress, he was elected as a member of the Party Central Committee, a Politburo member, and President of the Lao Front for National Development.
- 2011 Retired due to poor health.
The Party and State have awarded him the following medals:
- One National Gold Order
- One Vietnamese National Gold Order
- Four Class 1 Issara Orders
- Two Class 2 Issara Orders, and other medals.
The Funeral Committee for General Sisavath Keobounphanh consisted of the following participants:
Politburo Member and Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith presided over the funeral.
Politburo Member and President of the Lao Front for National Development, Dr Xaysomphone Phomvihane, was the deputy in presiding over the funeral.
Politburo Member and Minister of National Defence, General Chansamone Chanyalath, also acted as deputy in presiding over the funeral.
Minister of Public Security Lieutenant General Vilay Lakhamfong – committee member.
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr Lien Thikeo – committee member.
Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office and Head of the Government Office Dr Phet Phomphiphak – committee member.
Governor of Huaphan province Mr Vanxay Phengxoumma – committee member.
President of the Vientiane People’s Council Dr Anouphab Tounalom – committee member.
Secretary-General of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Youth Union Dr Alounxay Sounnalath – committee member.
Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Mrs Baykham Khattiya – committee member.
Deputy of the Party Central Organisation Commission Mr Vansay Phongsavanh – committee member.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Thongpan Savanphet – committee member.
Deputy Head of the LPRP Central Committee Office Mr Chanthaboun Rattanavon – committee member.
Vice President of the Lao Women’s Union Ms Bouachanh Sihanath – committee member.
Vice President of the Lao Federation of Trade Unions Mrs Aly Vongnorbountham – committee member.
National Assembly member Mr Suban Savabud – committee member.
Deputy Minister of Health Dr Bounfeng Phoummalaysith – committee member.
Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Mr Vansy Kuamua – committee member.
Vice President of the Lao Front for National Development Mr Chanthavong Saen-amathmonty
Representatives of the Keobounphanh family.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update May 14, 2020)