Quang Tri delegation pays respects to late Lao President Khamtay Siphandone

A memorial and condolence book signing ceremony for Khamtay Siphandone, an outstanding leader of the first generation and a key figure of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, was held at the Lao Embassy in Hanoi on the morning of April 4. The delegation from Quang Tri Province, led by Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Long Hai, paid tribute and signed the condolence book in honor of Khamtay Siphandone.

Khamtay Siphandone was born on February 8, 1924. Throughout his revolutionary career, he held many important positions, including Representative of the Lao Issara Government in southern Laos, Chairman of the Central Region Resistance Committee, Member of the Central Committee of the Lao Issara Front and the Lao Patriotic Front. He was promoted to General and served as Commander-in-Chief of the Lao People’s Army.

The Quang Tri provincial delegation, led by Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Long Hai, pays tribute to Khamtay Siphandone. Photo: Anh Tuyet

He was a member of the Party Central Committee from the 1st to the 5th Congress and a Politburo member from the 2nd to the 5th Congress. He held various key positions, such as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defense, Prime Minister, General Secretary of the Party, and President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic until his retirement in 2006.

According to the announcement from the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, General Khamtay Siphandone passed away on April 2, 2025, due to old age, at the age of 102.

In deep mourning, the delegation of the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, led by Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Long Hai, paid tribute and signed the book of condolences at the Lao Embassy in Vietnam.

Secretary of the Quang Tri Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Long Hai signed the book of condolences in memory of Comrade Khamtay Siphandone at the Lao Embassy. Photo: Anh Tuyet

Lighting incense in remembrance, the delegation expressed heartfelt gratitude for the great contributions of former President Khamtay Siphandone to the revolutionary cause of the Lao Party and people, as well as to the profound friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos—particularly between Quang Tri Province and Lao localities.

The delegation also pledged to follow his example and continue fostering the rare and enduring relationship between Vietnam and Laos, helping it flourish for generations to come.

The memorial and condolence book signing is held from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, April 4–6, 2025, at the Lao Embassy in Vietnam.

Anh Tuyet - Ngoc Mai