General Secretary To Lam led the high -ranking delegation of Vietnam to Laos to visit the former President Khamtay Siphandone.
General Secretary To Lam today led the senior leadership of the Party and State of Vietnam to visit the former Lao President Khamtay Siphandone, with meetings with General Secretary, Lao Chairman Thongloun Sisoulith and Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, according to VNA.
General Secretary To Lam visited former Lao President Khamtay Siphandone. Image: VNA
On behalf of the Party, State and the people of Vietnam, General Secretary To Lam expressed his pain at the departure of Mr. Khamtay Siphandone and sent to leaders, people of Laos and his family Mr. Khamtay Siphandone the deepest condolences.
General Secretary To Lam announced that the Party and the State of Vietnam decided to organize the national funeral to express the gratitude of Mr. Khamtay Siphandone’s contribution to the development of the relationship, durable in Vietnam – Laos.
Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone thanked, highly appreciated General Secretary To Lam and the high -ranking delegation of the Party and State of Vietnam were the first delegation to condolences to the Party, Laos and his family before the departure of Mr. Khamtay Siphandone.
At the meetings, the two sides highly appreciated the progress in the relationship between the two countries, agreed to regularly exchange delegations at all levels, continue to coordinate the implementation of the achieved agreements, affirming that Vietnam and Laos needed to work, support and support each other very much to nurture the great friendship and special cohesion between the two parties, the two countries, the two ethnic groups.
General Secretary To Lam met General Secretary, Lao Chairman Thongloun Sisoulith. Image: VNA
Mr. Khamtay Siphandone was born in 1924 in Huakhongphayai village, Khong district, currently in Champasack province, a farmer’s family. In 1931, an official took him to school in Vientiane. He passed the prestigious pavie entrance exam (currently Vientiane High School), the only high school in Laos at that time.
At the end of 1941, officials helped him suddenly died, his family had financial difficulties and he had to quit school, started working as a letter. He then went to Saigon to study a specialized training course and returned to Laos in 1944, becoming a telegraph official in Phongsaly province.
Former Lao President Khamtay Siphandone. Image: AFP
In the following years, he participated in the movement to gain independence from the rule of France. In 1947, Mr. Khamtay Siphandone joined the Laos Front Issara. He became a member of the Indochinese Communist Party in 1954 and joined the Laos Revolutionary People’s Party a year later. In the revolutionary career, he undertook many responsibilities and was promoted to the rank of General.
After the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was established in 1975, Mr. Khamtay Siphandone held the position of Minister of Defense, and then became Deputy Prime Minister. He took office as Prime Minister in 1991 and held the position of President from 1998 to 2006. He was Chairman of the Central Committee of the Laos Revolutionary People’s Party from 1992 to 2006.
In the country’s protection, construction and development, former President Khamtay Siphandone has worked closely with Vietnam to exchange, share experiences, support and help each other.
Former Lao President Khamtay Siphandone died at 10:30 on April 2 at his home in Vientiane. Laos organized a national funeral for 5 days, from April 3 to April 7, at the National Convention Center in Vientiane