Nouhak Phoumsavanh or Phoumsavan (born April 9, 1914) was a longtime Pathet Lao revolutionary and communist party official who succeeded Kaysone Phomvihane as president of Laos on the latter's death in November 1992. He had been First Deputy Prime Minister when Kaysone was Prime Minister until 1991.
Thought the presidency had become an executive position, prime minister Khamtai Siphandon had taken the country's most powerful position,leadership of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, and when he decided to move from prime minister to president in 1998, Nouhak Phoumsavanh, by then one of the oldest heads of state in the world, retired.
In the mid-1940s, a campaign to recruit Laotian members was instigated and in 1946 or 1947, Kaysone Phomvihan, a law student at the University of Hanoi, was recruited, along with NouhakPhoumsavan.
NouhakPhoumsavan was the second most powerful figure in the party throughout from the party's founding until Kaysone's death when he became the party's titular leader.
Former leader Khamtai Siphandon succeeded NouhakPhoumsavan in 1998 (although some accounts have him succeeding Kayonse in 1992).
When Kaysone died in November 1992, he was succeeded by two close associates: NouhakPhoumsavan became president, and General Khamtay Siphandone became leader of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP).
In July 1997, Laos was admitted to ASEAN, after a long period as an observer of that body.
Nouhak stepped down as president in February 1998, and former prime minister Khamtay was elected as his successor by the National Assembly.
Feeds |
Contact