Vietnam Declares National Mourning for Lao NA President Xaysomphone Phomvihane

Comrade Xaysomphone Phomvihane, a member of the Politburo of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR, passed away on August 8 at the age of 70 due to vasculitis, according to an official announcement from the Party Central Committee. He was a key leader of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party who made important contributions to the Lao revolution, as well as to the cause of national defence, construction and development of Laos. The communiqué praised Comrade Xaysomphone Phomvihane’s significant role in preserving and fostering the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos, stressing his passing is a great loss to Laos and to Vietnam-Laos relations. To express their profound grief over the passing of Comrade Saysomphone Phomvihane and in view of the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos, the CPV Central Committee, the National Assembly, the State President, the Government, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee have decided to observe two days of national mourning for Comrade Saysomphone Phomvihane, from August 10 to 11. During this period, offices and agencies nationwide, as well as Vietnamese representative missions abroad, shall fly flags at half-mast with mourning ribbons as prescribed. Public entertainment and recreational activities shall not be held. Senior Party and State leaders, together with representatives of ministries, central agencies, mass organisations, families of senior leaders, former Party and State leaders, businesses, and other sectors, gathered in Vientiane on August 9, 2026, to lay floral wreaths and pay their respects to Xaysomphone Phomvihane, Member of the Politburo of the Party Central Committee and President of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR. On the afternoon of 9 August 2026, at the Party Central Committee Office, President Thongloun Sisoulith, Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of the Lao PDR, received a courtesy call from Tran Thanh Man, Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Chairman of the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, along with a high-level delegation from the Vietnamese Party and State. Comrade Xaysomphone Phomvihane, former Member of the Politburo of the Party Central Committee and former President of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR, was born on December 12, 1956, in Na Mao Village, Viengxay District, Houaphanh Province. The National Funeral Organizing Committee has announced a five-day period of national mourning to honour the memory of Xaysomphone Phomvihane, former Member of the Politburo of the Party Central Committee and former President of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR. (Note: The original article contains conflicting information regarding the duration of mourning in Laos. The KPL report mentions a five-day period, while Vietnam declared two days. This report focuses on the Vietnamese declaration and general Lao observances.)