VIENTIANE: Party secretaries and the governors of Bokeo and Phongsaly provinces have been replaced as the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and government continue to make changes to leadership positions in Party and state bodies ahead of next year’s National Party Congress.
In the northwest province of Bokeo, Brigadier General Paenkham Boutchanpheng has been appointed Acting Party Secretary and Acting Governor of the province.
He replaced outgoing Party Secretary and provincial Governor, Dr Thongchanh Manixay, who is also a member of the Party Central Committee, at a ceremony held on Aug 1 Dr Thongchanh has now retired.
Presiding over the position transfer, Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Public Security, General Vilay Lakhamfong, said the changes reflect a strategic vision to improve leadership performance across the country.
On the same day, in the northernmost province of Phongsaly, Brigadier General Somphone Mittaphone was appointed Acting Party Secretary of the province, replacing outgoing Party Secretary and provincial Governor Khamphoy Vannasane. No mention was made of a replacement for the position of governor.
Mr Khamphoy, who is a member of the Party Central Committee, will take up a new post at the Lao Front for National Development.
The replacements came after a recent cabinet reshuffle and organisational change that merged four ministries with others, reducing the total from 17 to 13 ministries.
The changes are taking place as provinces and ministries prepare for their Party Congresses to elect new Party leaders, including Party secretaries, to lead their respective bodies over the next five years from 2026-2030.
In traditional practice, all provincial and ministerial Party Congresses are normally convened by year’s end, paving the way for the National Party Congress, which is slated to take place next year to elect a new Party leadership, including the Party Secretary General and members of the Politburo and Party Central Committee for the next five-year tenure.
As the five-year tenure in Party and state bodies ends at around the same time, it is expected that next year there will be an overhaul not only within Party bodies, but also in the National Assembly (NA), following a national election to select new or return existing members of the NA.
At the preliminary session of the next NA legislature, the people’s representatives will elect the state president and prime minister and vote for a new government cabinet. - Vientiane Times/ANN
