Prince Souvanna Phouma (; 7 October 1901 – 10 January 1984)
was the leader of the neutralist faction and
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
of the
Kingdom of Laos several times (1951–1954, 1956–1958, 1960, and 1962–1975).
Early life
Souvanna Phouma was the son of
Bounkhong
Prince Bounkhong was the last uparaja of Luang Phrabang. He was granted the title of '' Chao Ratsaphakhinay'' by King Chulalongkorn of Siam in 1884. From 1911 to 1920, he was a member of the Government Council of French Indochina.
Chao Maha Oupah ...
, the last vice-king of
Luang Prabang and a nephew of King
Sisavang Vong
King Sisavangvong ( lo, ພຣະບາທສົມເດັຈພຣະເຈົ້າມະຫາຊີວິຕສີສວ່າງວົງສ໌, 14 July 1885 – 29 October 1959) Born Prince Khao , was one of the last kings of Luang Praba ...
of Laos, given a French education in
Hanoi
Hanoi or Ha Noi ( or ; vi, Hà Nội ) is the capital and second-largest city of Vietnam. It covers an area of . It consists of 12 urban districts, one district-leveled town and 17 rural districts. Located within the Red River Delta, Hanoi is ...
,
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
and
Grenoble
lat, Gratianopolis
, commune status = Prefecture and commune
, image = Panorama grenoble.png
, image size =
, caption = From upper left: Panorama of the city, Grenoble’s cable cars, place Saint- ...
, where he obtained his degree in
architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
and
engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...
. He returned to his homeland in 1931, married
Aline Claire Allard, the daughter of a French father and a Lao mother, and entered the Public Works Service of French Indochina.
Souvanna Phouma, together with his brother, Prince
Phetsarath Rattanavongsa
Prince Phetsarath Ratanavongsa (''Somdej Chao Maha Uparaja Petsaraj Ratanavongsa ''( lo, ສົມເດັຈເຈົ້າ ມຫາ ອຸປຣາຊ ເພັຊຣາຊ ຣັຕນວົງສາ) (19 January 1890 – 14 October 1959 ...
(1891–1959) and his half-brother, Prince
Souphanouvong
Prince Souphanouvong (13 July 1909 – 9 January 1995; ), nicknamed the Red Prince, was along with his half-brother Prince Souvanna Phouma and Prince Boun Oum of Champasak, one of the "Three Princes" who represented respectively the communist (p ...
(1909–1995), around the end of World War II, joined the
Lao Issara
The Lao Issara ( lo, ລາວອິດສະລະ ) was an anti-French, nationalist movement formed on 12 October 1945 by Prince Phetsarath. This short-lived movement emerged after the Japanese defeat in World War II and became the government ...
(Free Laos) movement established to counter the French occupation and its provisional Vientiane government (1945–46).
When the French reoccupied Laos, Souvanna fled to exile in
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
, but returned to Laos in 1949 as France began conceding autonomy to Laos.
Souvanna Phouma and his wife had four children including
Mangkra Souvanna Phouma and Princess Moune, who married Perry J. Stieglitz, cultural-affairs attaché of the U.S. embassy.
Prime Ministership
In 1951, Souvanna became
Prime Minister of Laos
The Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, formerly the chairman of the Council of Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is the head of government of Laos. The highest position in the government, they direct the ...
under the
National Progressive Party banner with a landslide victory, winning 15 of the 39 seats in the
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
. He was prime minister until 1954.
After elections in December 1955, Souvanna Phouma returned to the prime ministership on a platform of national reconciliation. In August 1956 Souvanna and the Communist
Pathet Lao, which his half-brother
Souphanouvong
Prince Souphanouvong (13 July 1909 – 9 January 1995; ), nicknamed the Red Prince, was along with his half-brother Prince Souvanna Phouma and Prince Boun Oum of Champasak, one of the "Three Princes" who represented respectively the communist (p ...
headed agreed on broad proposals for a 'government of national union'. Elections for 21 extra assembly seats were finally held in May 1958, with parties aligned with the Pathet Lao acquiring 13.
Souphanouvong
Prince Souphanouvong (13 July 1909 – 9 January 1995; ), nicknamed the Red Prince, was along with his half-brother Prince Souvanna Phouma and Prince Boun Oum of Champasak, one of the "Three Princes" who represented respectively the communist (p ...
entered the government as Economic Minister. Another Pathet Lao leader,
Phoumi Vongvichit
Phoumi Vongvichit ( lo, ພູມີ ວົງວິຈິດ; 6 April 1909 – 7 January 1994) was a leading figure of the Pathet Lao and an elder statesman of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.
He was born April 6, 1909 in Xieng Khouang, the ...
, also acquired a Ministry.
![President John F](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/President_John_F._Kennedy_with_Prime_Minister_of_Laos%2C_Prince_Souvanna_Phouma_%2801%29.jpg)
In June 1958 Souvanna was again forced to resign by the rightists. The king accepted the vote as legal the next day when he signed Royal Ordinance No. 282, dismissing Souvanna Phouma's government and giving powers provisionally to the Revolutionary Committee. Royal Ordinance No. 283, approved a provisional government formed by Prince Boun Oum, who acted as front man for
Phoui Sananikone
Phoui Sananikone ( lo, ຜຸຍ ຊະນະນິກອນ; 6 September 1903, in Laos – 4 December 1983, in Paris) locally known as Phagna Houakhong () was a politician and served as Prime Minister of thKingdom of Laosfrom 1950 to 1951 and 1958 ...
. He was one of the
Three Princes, whom
Sisavang Vatthana
Sisavang Vatthana ( lo, ພຣະບາທສົມເດັຈພຣະເຈົ້າມະຫາຊີວິຕສີສວ່າງວັດທະນາ) or sometimes Savang Vatthana (full title: Samdach Brhat Chao Mavattaha Sri Vitha Lan X ...
appointed to form a coalition government between the rightists and Pathet Lao but it collapsed, and the
Laotian Civil War began.
Souvanna Phouma was elected President of
National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
from May 1960 to August 1960 following the 1960 elections.
Honours
Foreign Honours
* : Honorary Grand Commander of the
Order of the Defender of the Realm
The Most Esteemed Order of the Defender of the Realm ( ms, Darjah Yang Mulia Pangkuan Negara) is a Malaysian federal award presented for meritorious service to the country. The Order Motto are 'Dipeliharakan Allah-Pangkuan Negara' (By the Grace ...
(1971)
*: Knight Grand Cordon(Special Class) of the
Order of the White Elephant
__NOTOC__
The Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์อันเป็นที่เชิดชูยิ่งช้างเผือก; ) is an order of Thailand. It wa ...
*: Grand Cross of the
Royal Order of Cambodia
The Royal Order of Cambodia ( km, គ្រឿងឥស្សរិយយសព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា; french: Ordre royal du Cambodge) was a colonial order of chivalry of French Cambodia, and is still in use ...
*: Grand Cordon of the
Order of the Rising Sun
*: Honorary Grand Cross of the
Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG)
*: Grand Cross 1st Class of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of the Southern Cross
Emperor Pedro I of Brazil founded the National Order of the Southern Cross ( pt, Ordem Nacional do Cruzeiro do Sul) as a Brazilian order of chivalry on 1 December 1822. The order aimed to commemorate the independence of Brazil (7 September 18 ...
*: Grand Collar of the
Order of Sikatuna
The Order of Sikatuna ( fil, Orden ng Sikatuna) is the national order of diplomatic merit of the Republic of the Philippines. It is conferred upon individuals who have rendered exceptional and meritorious services to the Republic of the Philippin ...
References
Bibliography
* Stieglitz, Perry. In a Little Kingdom. 1990 M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Souvanna Phouma
1901 births
1984 deaths
Laotian royalty
People of the Laotian Civil War
Presidents of the National Assembly of Laos
Prime Ministers of Laos
National Progressive Party (Laos) politicians
People from Luang Prabang
University of Paris alumni
Grenoble Alpes University alumni
Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany