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Asia and Oceania

Laos

 Flag of Laos

Last reviewed: 26 October 2007

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HISTORY

Recent History

After gaining its independence from France in 1953, the Kingdom of Laos found itself embroiled in regional conflicts resulting from the struggle for control of South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese supported the Pathet Lao, a nationalist front organisation controlled by the communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP). The Thais and the Americans supported right-wing groups. Prince Souvanna Phouma, Prime Minister for most of the period from 1951 to 1975, attempted to follow a neutral course.

Following the American withdrawal from Vietnam the Lao Communists consolidated their control of Laos, which culminated in the abolition of the monarchy and establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in December 1975.

As the LPRP instituted a one-party state and introduced tough socialist reforms of the economy it continued its hard line policies until economic difficulties in the late 1980s forced it to bring in more liberal measures in line with those being adopted in Vietnam, with which Laos has been closely aligned since 1975.

In 1992 Kaysone Phomvihane, the long-time leader of the LPRP, died. He was succeeded as party leader by the then Prime Minister, Khamtay Siphandone. Since then the government and party have cautiously and half-heartedly introduced market reforms, while maintaining tight political control in a one-party system of government.

Longer Historical Perspective

The Lao are one branch of the Tai ethnic group which moved southwards from southern China, settling in parts of present day Laos from at least the thirteenth century. From its foundation in 1353 until about 1700 the Lao Kingdom of Lane Xang was one of the most powerful states in mainland Southeast Asia and included much of present day Thailand. Thereafter the kingdom was divided into rival principalities and fell into decline, losing power to the expanding Vietnamese and Siamese states. It was effectively saved from absorption by these two states by the establishment of a French protectorate at the end of the nineteenth century.

Under French rule development in Laos, whether it be economic, educational or political, was slow compared to that in Vietnam and Cambodia, the other countries in French Indochina. A stimulus to political development was provided by the Japanese occupation of Indochina during the Second World War. After the Japanese defeat in August 1945 a Free Lao movement, the Lao Issara, proclaimed Lao independence, but with the support of the King and Crown Prince the French regained control of the country in 1946, driving the nationalists into exile. The French finally granted Lao independence in 1953.

BBC News Country Timeline: Laos

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Contacts

Laos

Address:

Embassy of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
74 Avenue Raymond-Poincaré
75116 Paris
France

Telephone:

0033(0)1 4553 0298/7250

Fax:

0033(0)1 4727 5789

Email: ambalaoparis@wanadoo.fr

Office hours:

Mon-Fri: 0900–1230 and 1400–1700            
Mon-Fri: 0900–1200  (Visa)          

Website: http://www.laoparis.com