Thongloun Sisoulith (; born 10 November 1945) is a Laotian politician serving as General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party since 15 January 2021 and President of Laos since 22 March 2021.
Life and career
Sisoulith was born in the Houaphan province of Laos, and he studied at Pedagogical College of Neo Lao Hak Sat in Houaphan from 1962 to 1969.
He was further educated in the Soviet Union and Vietnam.
In addition to Lao, he speaks Vietnamese, Russian and English.
Throughout his years in government he has an extensive list of appointments.
He was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1987 to 1992, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare from 1993 to 1997, and a member of the National Assembly from 1998 to 2000.
He became Deputy Prime Minister and President of the State Planning Committee on 27 March 2001,"Laos new cabinet lineup", Asian Political News, April 2, 2001.
and he was additionally appointed as Foreign Minister on 8 June 2006, replacing Somsavat Lengsavad.
He was chosen to become Prime Minister of Laos at the 10th Party Congress on 23 January 2016.
At the 11th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party in 2021, he was elected the party's general secretary, and hence de facto leader of Laos, the first civilian with no military background to be general secretary.
Awards
Order of José Martí (Cuba)
Order of the Golden Star (Vietnam)
Ho Chi Minh Order (Vietnam)
Order of the Rising Sun 1st degree (Japan)
Knight of the Great Ribbon of the Order of the White Elephant (Thailand)พระราชทานราชอิสริยาภรณ์ “ดร.ทองลุน” รองนายกฯ ลาว
Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil)
Gold Medalle of the Russian Peace Foundation "For Peacekeeping and Charitable Activities" (5 October 2015, Russia)
Order of Friendship (20 October 2015, Russia) Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 20 октября 2015 года № 517 «О награждении государственными наградами Российской Федерации иностранных граждан»
References
External links
World Economic forum biography
United Nations biography
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Category:1945 births Category:Living people Category:Heads of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 4th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 5th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 6th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 7th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 8th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 9th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 10th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 11th Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Category:Members of the 7th Politburo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party
