History Of Laos

About history of Laos!

The first history of Laos was recorded in 1353 about King Fa Ngum who ruled the Kingdom of Lao Lanexang (Million Elephants) and established Luang Prabang as his capital city. During his rule his Kingdom was very strong, powerful and prosperous. Its huge territories is believed to be the size of all Isan provinces and Laos combined.

In the 16th century his successors King Setthathirat continued to bring peace and stability to the country, he then introduced Buddhism to his people and it became the predominant religion of the country.

In 1804 King Anouvong came to the throne in Vientiane and began to rebuild his kingdom. He built the splendid Wat Sisaket as a symbol of Lao revival. By 1823 he believed that his kingdom should be free from Siamese control. His son had already been a ruler in Champasak. His armies then crossed the Mekong to capture back some land that took by Siam.

King Anouvong

King Anouvong's army advanced to Korat, the important city in the region and there where his army was defeated by (Khun Ying Mo or Thao Suranaree). After that defeat his luck seemed to turn down. The King of Luang Phrabang sided with the Siamese, Vietnamese aid did not come, and the Siamese King Rama III was able to mobilize the army and strike back.

King Anouvong were defeated at a battle south of Vientiane in 1827. As a result the city (apart from some temples) was burned to the ground and its population deported to Siam. The following year he was captured, and died in a prison in Bangkok.

Thereafter, the conflict with Siam (now Thailand), Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia in 18th century brought the country to chaos; thus weakening the kingdom in the history of Laos.

Siam took control over Laos in the 19th century and established hegemony over much of the country. The country was divided into three principalities in the North; Luang Prabang, the center; Vientiane and the South; Champasak. In the northwest, in Xieng Khouang province was influenced by the Vietnamese. Late in the century, the French defeated Siam and took control over Laos and signed the Franco-Siamese treaty in 1907 which defined the present Lao-Thai border.

Japan occupied French Indochina including Laos during World War II in 1945. After the Japanese surrendered in 1946 French troops reoccupied Laos again. Prince Souphanouvong formed the Pathet Lao resistance to fight against colonialism side by side with the communist movement lead by Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam. This was the first Indochina war between France and three communist movement in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Nearly ten years struggle against colonialism together in history of Laos, in 1954 French defeated in Dien Bien Phu by the Vietnamese and as the results the Geneva Peace Treaty was signed and France formally recognized the independence of Laos. This was the first time in the history of Laos that the country had enjoyed the freedom. Then the first coalition government led by Prince Souvanna Phouma was formed. Less than years later the coalition government collapsed, the rightist forces took over the government and the communist moved to the jungle and resumed fighting.

Kong Le a paratroop captain seized Vientiane in a coup in 1960 and demanded formation of a neutralist government to end the fighting. The neutralist government was once again led by Souvanna Phouma, but was driven from power later that same year by rightist forces under General Phoumi Nosavan.

In 1961-1962 a second Geneva Conference was held in Switzerland and a Geneva Peace Treaty was signed by all parties to provide peace, independence and neutrality to Laos. But a few months later, both sides accused each other of violating the terms of the agreement and with super-power support on both sides the fighting continued. Although Laos was to be neutral but the civil war in the country drew Laos into the second Indochina war (1954-75). For nearly a decade, Laos was subjected to a heavy bombing as the U.S.A wanted to destroy the Ho Chi Minh Trail to stop north Vietnamese troops using this supply route to south Vietnam.

In 1973, the Royal Lao's government and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) signed Vientiane cease-fire agreement to stop fighting and both sides agreed to form a new coalition government to run the country side by side. This is an historic moment in the history of Laos, but the political struggle between communists, neutralists, and rightists continued.

The fall of Saigon and Phnom Penh to communist forces in April 1975 made coalition government in Laos in chaos. Months after these communist victories, the Pathet Lao occupied Vientiane. On December 2, 1975, the king Sisavangvong, the last King of Laos abdicated his throne and the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR) was established and Prince Souphanouvong became the first president of Laos.

When new communist government came into power there were an exodus of lowland Lao and ethnic Hmong from Laos. About 10% of the Lao population sought refugee status after 1975, many of whom resettled in third countries like Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States. Today they are Laos overseas living in the foreign lands.

The new government then renaming the country Lao People's Democratic Republic, declared National Day on 2nd December 1975 and created a new flag for the new era in the history of Laos and that date became the public holiday of Laos. Since coming into power, the new government has opened the new chapter in the history of Laos by accelerating the development of the basic infrastructure with financial aid and joint ventures with both communist and capitalist countries.

After 35 years came into power the Lao People's Democratic Republic government built King Anouvong's Park on the bank of Mekong River opposite the Presidential Palace (Ho Kham) and erected the statue of King Anouvong there. The erection ceremony was held on 23rd August, 2010 to celebrate the life of the great King and remember his greatest scarify to serve and protect the country.

Although Laos is a communist country, religion, Laos arts, Laos song, and traditional festivals are still practice in all part of the country and many capitalist ideas such as private land and business ownership are encouraged. The price of Laos real estate is increasing year by year.

In major cities and surrounding areas, full and partially state-owned joint-ventures still exist. Many hydroelectric power projects financed by World Bank and foreign aid like Nam Theun 2 Dam contribute significantly to Lao's GDP and income from export. Currently, most of Lao's electricity is mainly sold to Thailand. History of Laos is to be continued...