Kingdom of Laos

For the government that controlled the kingdom, seeRoyal Lao Government.

Kingdom of Laos ພຣະຣາຊອານາຈັກຣ໌ລາວ(Lao) Royaume du Laos(French)
1947–1975
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem:ເພງຊາດລາວ Pheng Xat Lao "Hymn of the Lao People"
Status	Frenchprotectorate (1947–1953) Independent state (1953–1975)
Capital	Vientiane(administrative) Luang Phabang(royal)
Largest city	Vientiane
Official languages	Lao French
Spoken languages	Lao Hmong Khmu French
Ethnic groups	Lao Khmu Hmong Phouthai Tai Makong Katang Lue Akha
Religion	Buddhism(official) Tai folk religion Christianity Other/Irreligion
Government	Unitaryparliamentaryconstitutional monarchy undermilitary dictatorship(1959–1960)
King
• 1946–1959	Sisavang Vong
• 1959–1975	Sisavang Vatthana
Prime Minister
• 1947–1948(first)	Souvannarath
• 1962–1975(last)	Souvanna Phouma
Legislature	Parliament
•Upper house	Royal Council
•Lower house	National Assembly
History
•Unification	11 May 1947
• Independence	22 October 1953
•Recognized	21 July 1954
•United Nationsadmission	14 December 1955
•Communisttakeover	23 August 1975
•Lao PDR established	2 December 1975
Area
• Total	236,800 km2(91,400 sq mi)
Population
•	3,100,000
Currency	Kip(₭) (LAK)
Time zone	UTC+7(ICT)
Date format	dmy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+856
ISO 3166 code	LA
Internet TLD	.la
Preceded by Succeeded by French Protectorate of Laos French Indochina Lao People's Democratic Republic Royal Lao Government in Exile
Today part of	Laos

TheKingdom of Laoswas the form of government inLaosfrom 1947 to 1975. Located inSoutheast Asiaat the heart of theIndochinese Peninsula,it was bordered byBurmaandChinato the northwest,North Vietnamto the east,Cambodiato the southeast, andThailandto the west and southwest. The country was governed as aconstitutional monarchybeginning with its independence on 9 November 1953. It survived until December 1975, when its last king,Sisavang Vatthana,surrendered the throneto thePathet Laoduring thecivil war in Laos,who abolished the monarchy in favour of aMarxist–Leniniststate called theLao People's Democratic Republic,which has controlled Laos ever since.

Given self-rule with the new Constitution in 1947 as part of theFrench Unionand a federation with the rest ofFrench Indochina,the 1953 Franco-Lao Treaty finally established a sovereign, independent Laos, but did not stipulate who would rule the country. In the years that followed, three groups, led by the so-calledThree Princes,contended for power: the neutralists under PrinceSouvanna Phouma,the right-wing party under PrinceBoun Oumof Champassak, and the left-wing,North Vietnamese-backedPathet Laounder PrinceSouphanouvongand future Prime MinisterKaysone Phomvihane.

The Pathet Lao would eventually emerge victorious in theLaotian Civil Warand establish the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975.

History

Main article:History of Laos

The Kingdom of Laos was officially proclaimed when the new Constitution was promulgated in 1947, as part of the colonialFrench Union,and obtained full independence in 1953. The monarchy lasted until 2 December 1975, when the last kingSisavang Vatthanaabdicated the throneto thePathet Lao,who abolished the kingdom and proclaimed Laos as acommunist state.

Government

Following the Franco-Lao Treaty of 1953, which gave Laos independence, theRoyal Lao Governmenttook control of the country. This treaty established a constitutional monarchy, withSisavang Vongas King and Prince Souvanna Phouma asPrime Minister.

Many attempts were made by the Three Princes and King Sisavang Vatthana to establish a coalition government. The First Government of National Unity was established in 1958 under PrinceSouvanna Phouma,but collapsed after two months. The Prime Minister, who under the constitution appointed his ministers and received advice from the King, made a deal with his brother PrinceSouphanouvong.

Souvanna Phouma gave the Communists two seats in the Cabinet, and in return Souphanouvong would integrate 1,500 of his 6,000 Communist troops into the royal army. Prince Souphanouvong was given the post of Minister of Planning, Reconstruction and Urbanization, while another member of the Communist Party was named Minister of Religion and Fine Arts.

The legislature of the Kingdomwas bicameral.

Military

The Kingdom of Laos was divided into five military regions. TheRoyal Lao Armed Forceswere responsible for the defense of the country, comprising three branches of service: theRoyal Lao Army,theRoyal Lao Navy,and theRoyal Lao Air Force,which was under the control of the Ministry of Defence in Vientiane.

The United States supplied the Royal Lao Navy with twenty river patrol boats and sixteen amphibious landing craft. Between 1962 and 1971, the United States provided Laos with an estimated US$500 million in military assistance.

Foreign relations

The Royal Lao Government had close relations with theUnited States,which gave the country aid and assisted it in the campaign against thePathet Laoand the North Vietnamese Communist movement. During 1957, the United States spent more per capita on foreign aid for Laos than it had on any other nation. That worked out as US$150 per Laotian, twice the average person's annual income. Some of the money went to supportpro-Americancandidates in an election, while other money went to a program to support the local currency, thekip.

King Savang Vatthana visited the United States in 1963 to meet with PresidentKennedy.

Laos was also supported byFrance,Australia,Burma,ThailandandJapan.

North Vietnamese invasion of Laos and civil war

Main article:Laotian Civil War

North Vietnamese troops march through Laos, 1967.

In 1960, amidst a series of rebellions, fighting broke out between theRoyal Lao Armyand theSoviet Union-backed,communistPathet Lao,a second Provisional Government of National Unity formed by PrinceSouvanna Phoumain 1962 proved to be unsuccessful, and the situation steadily deteriorated thereafter as the conflict in Laos became a focus for superpower rivalry. During theNorth Vietnamese invasion of Laos,the Pathet Lao were backed militarily by thePeople's Army of Vietnam(PAVN) andVietcong.

Laos was also dragged into theVietnam Warafter parts of Laos were invaded and occupied byNorth Vietnamfor use as a supply route for its war againstSouth Vietnam.In response, the United States initiated a bombing campaign against the North Vietnamese positions, supported regular and irregular anticommunist forces in Laos, including those led byHmongGeneralVang Pao,and supportedArmy of the Republic of Vietnamincursions into Laos. It also provided supplies, training and funding for the central government.

In 1968, the PAVN launched a multi-division attack to help the Pathet Lao fight the Royal Lao Army. The attack resulted in the army largely demobilizing, leaving the conflict to irregular forces raised by the United States and Thailand.

Massive aerial bombardment against Pathet Lao and PAVN forces was carried out by the United States. It has been reported that Laos was hit by an average of oneB-52bombload every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, between 1964 and 1973. US bombers dropped moreordnanceon Laos in this period than was dropped during the whole of the Second World War. Of the 260 million bombs that rained down, particularly onXiangkhouang Provinceon thePlain of Jars,some 80 millionfailed to explodeand continue to injure and kill residents to this day.

Laos is the most heavily bombed country, per capita, in the world. Because it was particularly heavily affected bycluster bombsduring this war, Laos was a strong advocate of theConvention on Cluster Munitionsto ban the weapons and assist victims and hosted the First Meeting of States Parties to the convention in November 2010.

In 1975, the Pathet Lao, along with the PAVN and backed by the Soviet Union, overthrew the royalist Lao government, forcing KingSavang Vatthanato abdicate on 2 December 1975.

Fall of the government

A ceasefire was finally attained in February 1973, following theParis Peace Accordsbetween the United States and North Vietnam. In April 1974, another Provisional Government of National Unity was established, with Prince Souvanna Phouma as Prime Minister. However, by this time, Pathet Lao forces controlled large areas of the country, and following thefall of SaigonandPhnom Penhto communist forces in April 1975, removed any chances of a coalition government forming in Laos.Following the communist victories in both countries, they advanced on to Vientiane.

On 2 December 1975 in Vientiane, PrinceVong Savangsubmitted the letter of abdication of KingSavang Vatthanato the Pathet Lao. TheLao People's Democratic Republicwas established with Prince Souphanouvong asPresident.Kaysone Phomvihane acted as Prime Minister and Secretary-General of theLao People's Revolutionary Party.

Aftermath

About 30,000 to 40,000citizens and members of the old government, including the royal family, were taken to re-education camps in remote areas of Laos. The King, Queen and Crown Prince all died in captivity.

See also

• History of Laos since 1945
• Lao Veterans of America
• Laotian Royal Family
• Laos Memorial
• Hmong (disambiguation)
• Lao Veterans of America Institute
• Vang Pao

External links

• Country Study – Kingdom of Laos