Phoumi Nosavan
Encyclopedia
Phoumi Nosavan (1920-1985) was a Lao
military and political figure of the Vietnam War
(Second Indochina War). Nosavan was of Chinese descent.
Backed by the CIA and the Programs Evaluation Office
, Phoumi, then a colonel, became a cabinet minister in the right-wing government of the Kingdom of Laos
in February 1959 and a general several months later.
Shortly after Kong Le
's neutralist coup, he sought help from Sarit Dhanarajata
to establish a competing capital in Savannakhet
. He attacked Vientiane
on September 18 but the neutralists with the help of the Pathet Lao and the Soviet
s, repulsed the attack. A tripartite coalition government was formed between neutralists, communists and rightists on November 18, 1960. On December 8, Souvanna Phouma
relieved Kong Le from his command, but the next day Kong Le
deposed Souvanna Phouma (who went to Cambodia) and the leftist minister Quinim Pholsena
was appointed premiere. On December 13, Phoumi began the Battle of Vientiane and victorious, installed Boun Oum
as premier.
In 1961, John F. Kennedy
's administration opted for a neutralist coalition rather than risk an armed confrontation with the Russia
ns over Laos, and Phoumi was ordered to merge his right-wing government into a tripartite coalition under the leadership of Souvanna Phouma
. When he refused despite personal appeals from President Kennedy and the assistant secretary of state, his CIA handler was transferred out of Laos
and in February 1962 aid was cut to his government and army. Determined not to give in, he ordered General Ouane Rattikone
to start trafficking opium
to make up for the shortfall in revenue. At the same time, he ordered the central bank to print more money. As a result the kip lost a third of its value and inflation in the capital increased 20%. Of the countries from which he sought aid only South Korea
made an offer. When his troops suffered a disastrous defeat at Nam Tha in May 1962, he acknowledged his failure and in June merged his government into a neutralist coalition headed by Souvanna Phouma
.
Though Phoumi yielded some of his political power, he demanded economic concessions to make up for it. He retained control over the Ministry of Finance and won the right to monopolize much of the capital's consumer economy. He established a variety of monopolies over the vice trades as well as legitimate commercial activities. He opened gambling and opium dens and his bank had a monopoly on the import of gold. All of this led to jealousy and rage among his right-wing competitors. On April 19, 1964, a coup led by Generals Kouprasith Abhay
, Ouane Rattikone
and Siho Lamphouthakoun toppled him from power.
With the help of Col. Bounleuth Saycocie
, at the beginning of February 1965 he attempted a coup to regain power. They managed to seize the radio station but not much else. Within five days, he gave up and went into exile in Thailand
.
After the Pathet Lao communists gained control of Laos in 1975, Phoumi became involved in anti-communist resistance (Kou Xat in Lao) activities against the Lao government. Based in Bangkok, he supported guerilla-style military operations along the Thai-Lao border, and inside Laos, and in the early 1980s he established a Lao government-in-exile, although he did not receive substantial international support. He died in Bangkok in 1985.
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
military and political figure of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
(Second Indochina War). Nosavan was of Chinese descent.
Backed by the CIA and the Programs Evaluation Office
Programs Evaluation Office
The Programs Evaluation Office was a military mission to Laos, established in 1955 by the United States Department of Defense.-Motive:With the end of World War II, Laos was no longer under the French Union but entirely sovereign and was governed by the Royal Lao Government. The Royal Lao Army was...
, Phoumi, then a colonel, became a cabinet minister in the right-wing government of the Kingdom of Laos
Kingdom of Laos
The Kingdom of Laos was a sovereign state from 1953 until December 1975, when Pathet Lao overthrew the government and created the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Given self-rule in 1949 as part of a federation with the rest of French Indochina, the 1953 Franco-Lao Treaty finally established a...
in February 1959 and a general several months later.
Shortly after Kong Le
Kong Le
Kong Le is a former paratrooper captain in the Royal Lao Army known for overthrowing the government of Laos in a 1960 coup d'état. He obtained his training from the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1957 and joined the Royal Lao Army in 1960.-Coup of 1960:...
's neutralist coup, he sought help from Sarit Dhanarajata
Sarit Dhanarajata
Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat , was a Thai career soldier who staged a coup in 1957, thereafter serving as Thailand's Prime Minister until his death in 1963. He was born in Bangkok, but grew up in his mother's home town in Lao-speaking northeastern Thailand and considered himself a northeasterner...
to establish a competing capital in Savannakhet
Savannakhet
Savannakhet or Kaysone Phomvihane is a city in western Laos and the capital of the Savannakhet Province, previously known as Khanthabouli . This is the second-largest city in Laos, after Vientiane. The city is birthtown of Kaysone Phomvihane, former president of Laos, and was named after him in...
. He attacked Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
on September 18 but the neutralists with the help of the Pathet Lao and the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
s, repulsed the attack. A tripartite coalition government was formed between neutralists, communists and rightists on November 18, 1960. On December 8, Souvanna Phouma
Souvanna Phouma
Prince Souvanna Phouma was the leader of the neutralist faction and prime minister of the Kingdom of Laos several times, from 1951–1952, 1956–1958, 1960 and 1962-1975.-Early life:...
relieved Kong Le from his command, but the next day Kong Le
Kong Le
Kong Le is a former paratrooper captain in the Royal Lao Army known for overthrowing the government of Laos in a 1960 coup d'état. He obtained his training from the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1957 and joined the Royal Lao Army in 1960.-Coup of 1960:...
deposed Souvanna Phouma (who went to Cambodia) and the leftist minister Quinim Pholsena
Quinim Pholsena
Quinim Pholsena was a leftist minister and the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Laos from 1962 to 1963, under Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma.-Early life:...
was appointed premiere. On December 13, Phoumi began the Battle of Vientiane and victorious, installed Boun Oum
Boun Oum
Prince Boun Oum was the son of King Ratsadanay, and was the hereditary prince of Champassack and also Prime Minister of Laos.-Early life:...
as premier.
In 1961, John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's administration opted for a neutralist coalition rather than risk an armed confrontation with the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
ns over Laos, and Phoumi was ordered to merge his right-wing government into a tripartite coalition under the leadership of Souvanna Phouma
Souvanna Phouma
Prince Souvanna Phouma was the leader of the neutralist faction and prime minister of the Kingdom of Laos several times, from 1951–1952, 1956–1958, 1960 and 1962-1975.-Early life:...
. When he refused despite personal appeals from President Kennedy and the assistant secretary of state, his CIA handler was transferred out of Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
and in February 1962 aid was cut to his government and army. Determined not to give in, he ordered General Ouane Rattikone
Ouane Rattikone
Ouane Rattikone , a Laotian general, was the commander-in-chief of the Force Armée Republic, the army of the Royal Lao Government, during the 1960s....
to start trafficking opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
to make up for the shortfall in revenue. At the same time, he ordered the central bank to print more money. As a result the kip lost a third of its value and inflation in the capital increased 20%. Of the countries from which he sought aid only South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
made an offer. When his troops suffered a disastrous defeat at Nam Tha in May 1962, he acknowledged his failure and in June merged his government into a neutralist coalition headed by Souvanna Phouma
Souvanna Phouma
Prince Souvanna Phouma was the leader of the neutralist faction and prime minister of the Kingdom of Laos several times, from 1951–1952, 1956–1958, 1960 and 1962-1975.-Early life:...
.
Though Phoumi yielded some of his political power, he demanded economic concessions to make up for it. He retained control over the Ministry of Finance and won the right to monopolize much of the capital's consumer economy. He established a variety of monopolies over the vice trades as well as legitimate commercial activities. He opened gambling and opium dens and his bank had a monopoly on the import of gold. All of this led to jealousy and rage among his right-wing competitors. On April 19, 1964, a coup led by Generals Kouprasith Abhay
Kouprasith Abhay
General Kouprasith Abhay was a Laotian military and political figure from the Vietnam War .He was born into the privileged ruling family of Khong Island...
, Ouane Rattikone
Ouane Rattikone
Ouane Rattikone , a Laotian general, was the commander-in-chief of the Force Armée Republic, the army of the Royal Lao Government, during the 1960s....
and Siho Lamphouthakoun toppled him from power.
With the help of Col. Bounleuth Saycocie
Bounleuth Saycocie
Colonel Bounleuth Saycocie was a Lao military and political figure of the Vietnam War, which is also known as the Second Indochina War.-Biography:...
, at the beginning of February 1965 he attempted a coup to regain power. They managed to seize the radio station but not much else. Within five days, he gave up and went into exile in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
After the Pathet Lao communists gained control of Laos in 1975, Phoumi became involved in anti-communist resistance (Kou Xat in Lao) activities against the Lao government. Based in Bangkok, he supported guerilla-style military operations along the Thai-Lao border, and inside Laos, and in the early 1980s he established a Lao government-in-exile, although he did not receive substantial international support. He died in Bangkok in 1985.