Lao cabinet reshuffled, new PM elected

The Lao cabinet was reshuffled at the concluding meeting of the Fourth Ordinary Session of the National Assembly (Ninth Legislature) held on Friday, with the election of lawmaker Sonexay Siphandone as the new Prime Minister.

Phankham Viphavanh, in his speech at the National Assembly (NA) meeting, is said to resign from the post of prime minister for reaching the retirement age and health problems, reports Xinhua news agency.

Viphavanh, born in 1951, was elected as prime minister of the Lao government by the National Assembly in March 2021.

He had previously served as vice president, vice prime minister, minister of education of Laos, Huaphan provincial governor.

The NA meeting has also approved the nomination from president Thongloun Sisoulith, naming Siphandone as the new Prime Minister, with an overwhelming majority winning 149 out of the 151 votes.

Siphandone, a politburo member of the ruling Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) central committee, was elected to the LPRP Central Committee at the Eighth National Congress in 2006, and to the LPRP Politburo at the 10th National Congress in 2016.

Sonexay served as deputy prime minister of the government before Friday's election.