History Laos

 Historical dates

1353: Fa Ngum founded the independent kingdom of Lan Xang, the "Country of a million elephants".
1637-1694: reign of Suriya Vongsa. This period represents the renaissance and the Laos golden age. His death brought about the division of the kingdom.
1778: Vientiane and Luang Prabang were occupied by the Thais and had to accept Siamese rule.
1893-1904: the territory was gradually under the control of France, which reunited Laos.
1941: Japanese occupation, with the agreement of the Vichy government.
1945: the French protectorate was reestablished at the end of the war.
1949: France granted Laos larger autonomy and completed its reunification.
1953: proclamation of Laos independence.
1964: first bombardments of the American army on communist targets in Laos.
1964-1973: intensification of the Indochina war.
1973: signing of a cease-fire in Laos.
1974: return of the "red prince" Souphanouvong to Vientiane, the Pathet Lao, who extended his influence on the country.
1975: abolition of Laotian monarchy and proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, led by Kaysone Phomvihane, head of the communist party. Population exodus started.
1979: failure of the "socialism" policy. Stop of collectivisation, closure of reeducation camps and gradual adaptation of the regime to new economic trends.
1986: Phoumi Vongvichit, a leading figure of the Pathet Lao and an elder statesman of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, became president. 1990: withdrawal of the last Vietnamese troops from the country.
1991: Kaysone Phomvihane, who had been the first Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic from 1975 to 1991, became president, and served until his death in 1992.
1992: Nouhak Phoumsavanh, a longtime Pathet Lao revolutionary and communist party official, became president.
1997: Laos became member of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
1998: General Khamtai Siphandon, who had also served as chairman, or leader, of the communist Lao People's Revolutionary Party, became president.
2006: Choummaly Sayasone became General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.