Thongloun Sisoulith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thongloun Sisoulith
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| ທອງລຸນ ສີສຸລິດ | |
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Thongloun in 2024
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| General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party | |
| Assumed office 15 January 2021 |
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| Deputy | Bounthong Chitmany (Standing Member) |
| Preceded by | Bounnhang Vorachit |
| 7th President of Laos | |
| Assumed office 22 March 2021 |
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| Prime Minister | Phankham Viphavanh Sonexay Siphandone |
| Vice President | First Vice President Pany Yathotu Second Vice President Bounthong Chitmany |
| Preceded by | Bounnhang Vorachit |
| 17th Prime Minister of Laos | |
| In office 20 April 2016 – 22 March 2021 |
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| President | Bounnhang Vorachit |
| Preceded by | Thongsing Thammavong |
| Succeeded by | Phankham Viphavanh |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 8 June 2006 – 20 April 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | Bouasone Bouphavanh Thongsing Thammavong |
| Preceded by | Somsavat Lengsavad |
| Succeeded by | Saleumxay Kommasith |
| Deputy Prime Minister | |
| In office 27 March 2001 – 20 April 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | Bounnhang Vorachit Bouasone Bouphavanh Thongsing Thammavong |
| President of the State Committee for Planning and Investment | |
| In office 27 March 2001 – 8 June 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Bounnhang Vorachit |
| Preceded by | Bouathong Vonglokham |
| Succeeded by | Soulivong Daravong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 November 1945 Houaphanh Province, Laos |
| Political party | Lao People's Revolutionary Party |
| Spouse | Naly Sisoulith |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Pedagogical College of Neo Lao Hak Sat Herzen University Russian Academy of Sciences (PhD) |
Thongloun Sisoulith (Lao: ທອງລຸນ ສີສຸລິດ; born 10 November 1945) is a politician and historian from Laos. He is currently the leader of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the seventh President of Laos. He has held these important roles since 2021.
Before becoming president, Thongloun Sisoulith served as the 17th Prime Minister from 2016 to 2021. He was born and studied in Houaphanh Province. He also received education in Leningrad and Moscow in the Soviet Union. During the Laotian Civil War, he worked as a teacher and supported the Pathet Lao, a communist political movement.
He became the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1987. After that, he held many other positions in the government. In 2001, he became the Deputy Prime Minister. Then, in 2006, he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was seen as a "moderate" leader, which means he was open to different ideas. He helped improve the relationship between Laos and the United States. He also worked to strengthen Laos' ties with China and Vietnam. In 2016, he became Prime Minister and started campaigns to fight corruption. In 2021, he became the leader of the ruling party and the President of Laos.
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Early Life and Education
Thongloun Sisoulith was born on November 10, 1945, in the Houaphanh Province of Laos. At that time, Laos was fighting to become independent from French control. He attended the Pedagogical College of Neo Lao Hak Sat in Houaphan from 1962 to 1969.
He continued his studies in the Soviet Union and Vietnam. He earned a PhD in history and a Master of Arts degree. From 1973 to 1978, Thongloun studied Linguistics and Literature at the Gerzen Pedagogy Institute in Leningrad, Soviet Union. Later, from 1981 to 1984, he completed a PhD in the History of International Relations at the Academy of Social Sciences in Moscow.
Teaching Career
During the Laotian Civil War, Thongloun Sisoulith worked as a teacher for the Communist Pathet Lao. From 1967 to 1969, he was a senior member of the Educational Department of the Neo Lao Hak Sat. In 1969, he joined the Office of the Representative of the Neo Lao Hak Sat in Hanoi, North Vietnam.
After returning to Laos, from 1978 to 1979, he taught at the National University of Laos. This was after the Communist party took control of Vientiane in 1975. He also led the Russian language program at the university.
Political Journey
Thongloun Sisoulith has held many important roles in the government of Laos. He was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1987 to 1992. From 1993 to 1997, he served as the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare. He was also a member of the National Assembly from 1998 to 2000.
On March 27, 2001, he became the Deputy Prime Minister and the President of the State Planning Committee. On June 8, 2006, he was also appointed as the Foreign Minister. He took over this role from Somsavat Lengsavad. On January 23, 2016, he was chosen to become the Prime Minister of Laos at the 10th Party Congress.
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As Prime Minister (2016-2021)
After Thongloun Sisoulith became Prime Minister, he started campaigns to fight corruption in the Lao government. Between April 2016 and February 2017, the State Inspection Authority made 25 arrests related to corruption. Under his leadership, the government sold off expensive cars like BMW-7 series and Mercedes-Benz. These were government-issued cars, and they were replaced with Toyota Camrys. During this time, corruption in Laos seemed to decrease.
On July 23, 2018, a part of the Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy hydropower project collapsed. This project was on the Mekong River in Champasak Province. The collapse killed 71 people and forced 14,440 people to leave their homes. This was one of the worst dam disasters in Laos' history. Laos, Thailand, and South Korea were working on the dam. There had been warnings about the dam's safety in the days before the collapse. As Prime Minister, Thongloun postponed several meetings. He traveled to the affected area in Sanamxay District to help manage the rescue efforts.
On January 4, 2020, Thongloun represented Laos in Hanoi at a meeting with the Vietnamese Prime Minister. During the meeting, he praised Vietnam's economy. Both countries agreed to make their ties and cooperation stronger. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Laos worked with Vietnam and Cambodia. Thongloun spoke on the phone with the leaders of Cambodia and Vietnam. At the 36th ASEAN summit on June 26, 2020, he represented Laos. He talked about how well ASEAN had managed during the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 10, he praised the National Taskforce Committee for handling the pandemic in Laos. This was after 59 days with no new COVID-19 cases. He also thanked other countries like China, the United States, and Vietnam for their support.
In August 2020, he asked the media to keep "defeating the fake, deceptive, and harmful news" on social media. This was seen by international media as a way to tell the media in Laos not to report negatively on the government. On December 13, 2020, Thongloun spoke to the United Nations. He explained how Laos continues to follow the Paris Agreement. This agreement includes policies to reduce carbon emissions. He also asked other countries for help to reach these goals.
At the 11th National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party on February 15, 2021, he was elected the party's general secretary. This made him the de facto (actual) leader of Laos. He was the first civilian, meaning someone without a military background, to become general secretary. Thongloun was sworn into office on March 22, 2021. He replaced the previous leader, Bounnhang Vorachith, who retired. Phankham Viphavanh took over as Prime Minister after Thongloun.
Leadership
After becoming general secretary and president, Thongloun Sisoulith promised to help Laos' economy grow and reduce poverty. He planned to do this by working with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). After he took office, many people supported him. This was because of how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic and his efforts to fight corruption. In March 2021, Laos started using the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine as its main vaccine.
On December 3, 2021, he and President of China Xi Jinping opened a new section of the Lao-China railway. This was the Boten–Vientiane part. However, Laos owes a lot of money to China. About half of Laos' debt to other countries is owed to China. At a conference in Tokyo on May 27, 2022, Thongloun said he was not worried about Laos falling into a "debt-trap" with China.
Foreign Policy
Under Thongloun's leadership, Laos has tried to keep a good balance in its relationships with both China and Vietnam. On May 26, 2023, he warned that tensions between China and Taiwan, along with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, could lead to bigger wars.
In May 2024, Thongloun Sisoulith visited Russia. He took part in the Victory Parade in Moscow. Leaders from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Cuba, and Guinea-Bissau were also there. He also visited the Herzen State Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg. He had graduated from this university more than forty years ago.
Personal Life
Thongloun Sisoulith is married to Naly Sisoulith, who was born in 1947. They have three children: two sons and one daughter. Their daughter, Moukdavanh, is currently a deputy director general in the International Organization Department. This department is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Laos.
Besides speaking Lao, Thongloun also speaks Vietnamese, Russian, and English.
Awards and Honors
- Thailand: Knight of the Great Ribbon of the Order of the White Elephant (2010)
- Russia: Gold Medal of the Russian Peace Foundation "For Peacekeeping and Charitable Activities" (October 5, 2015)
- Russia: Order of Friendship (October 20, 2015)
- Vietnam: Gold Star Order (2017)
Honorary Doctorates
- Thailand: Rajamangala University of Technology Isan (2016)
- Thailand: Khon Kaen University (2017)
- China: Guangxi University for Nationalities (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Thongloun Sisoulith para niños
