Accompanying the Lao PM are Deputy PM, Minister of Planning and Investment and Chairman of the Laos-Vietnam Cooperation Committee Sonsay Siphandone; Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith; Minister of Public Security Vilay Lakhamphong; Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Kikeo Khaykhamphithun; Minister-Chairman of the Lao Government Office Phet Phomphiphak; Minister of Energy and Mines Khammany Intharath; Minister of Industry and Trade Khemmani Pholsena; Minister of Public Works and Transport Bounchanh Sinthavong; Deputy Minister for Education and Sports Kongsy Sengmany; Deputy Minister of National Defence Onsi Sensuk; Deputy Minister of Finance Bounchom Oubonpaseuth; Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang; Deputy Head of the External Relations Commission of the LPRP Central Committee Somphone Sichaleun; and Vice Chairman of the Laos – Vietnam Cooperation Committee Khamphoi Keokinnaly.
Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith was born on November 10, 1945, in Houaphanh Province, Laos. From 1962 to 1969, he studied at the Pedagogical College of Neo Lao Hak Sat (Lao Patriotic Front), Houaphanh Province. From 1973 to 1978, he studied his Masters in Linguistics and Literature at the Gerzen Pedagogy Institute in Saint Petersburg, in the former Soviet Union. From 1981 to 1984, he studied his PhD in the History of International Relations at the Academy of Social Sciences, Moscow, in the former Soviet Union.
From 1967 to 1969, he was a senior officer at the Educational Department of the Neo Lao Hak Sat in Houaphanh Province. He was a senior officer at the Office of the Representative of the Neo Lao Hak Sat in Hanoi from 1969-1973 and a lecturer at Vientiane University from 1978 to 1979. Thongloun Sisoulith assumed the position of Secretary to the Minister of Education, Director of the External Relations Division under the Lao Ministry of Education from 1979-1981. He was the Director of the Public Research Department at the PM’s Office from 1985-1986 and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1987 to 1992.
From 1993 to 1996, he was the Minster of Labour and Social Welfare. He held the positions as a member of the Standing Committee of the Lao National Assembly (NA) and Chairman of the NA’s Foreign Affairs Committee from 1997 to 2001. From 2001 to 2006, he was a Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister; President of the Committee for Planning and Investment; President of the Investment Management Committee; President of the Lao National Committee for Energy; and Lao NA Deputy.
In the 2006-2015 period, he was a Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos. From July 2015 to April 2016, he was a Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos.
In January 2016, at the tenth National Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, he was re-elected as a Politburo member. From April 2016 until now, he has been a Politburo member and the Lao Prime Minister.
