Former Lao National Assembly President Xaysomphone Phomvihane Passes Away

Xaysomphone Phomvihane, a member of the Politburo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and former President of the National Assembly, passed away at 11:18 PM on August 8, 2026, at the age of 70. The cause of death was vasculitis, according to an official announcement from the Party Central Committee. Born into a family of revolutionary cadres, Phomvihane was the son of Kaysone Phomvihane, the founding father of Laos. He received his primary and secondary education in Vietnam and China at the age of six. He later pursued higher education in the Soviet Union (now the Russian Federation), obtaining a doctoral degree in Political Economy from Moscow State University. Throughout his career, Phomvihane held a series of senior positions within the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the state. He served as Deputy Governor of Savannakhet Province, Minister of Finance, Head of the Prime Minister's Office, and ultimately as President of the National Assembly. He also served for many years as Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Vice President of the National Assembly, contributing to the development of the legislative body and the strengthening of international relations. In honor of his extensive contributions to the nation, the Lao government has announced a five-day period of national mourning and will hold a state funeral. Recent related news includes President Thongloun Sisoulith receiving a high-level Vietnamese delegation on August 6, comprising representatives from the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone also met with Lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Nghia, Head of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army, on the same day, indicating ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with Vietnam. Source: KPL Laos News