LAOS

ROYALIST RULE AND COMMUNIST INSURGENCY

France had established a protectorate over the Laos monarchy government

In 1951, The Pathet Lao, a Communist independence movement, was formed in North Vietnam.

Pathet Lao forces invaded central Laos, resulting in civil war. In 1955 the war had ended with two northern provinces were being

given to the Pathet Lao; the rest of the nation went to the royal regime.

Full sovereignty was given to the kingdom by France on Dec. 29, 1954.

UNIFICATION?

In 1957, the royal prime minister, and Pathet Lao leader Prince Souphanouvong, agreed to an establishment of a unified government.

Pathet Lao participation and integration into the royal army were part of the unification agreement.

The agreement broke down in 1959, and armed conflict began anew.

3 WAY CIVIL WAR

In 1960, the struggle became a three-way fight as Gen. Phoumi Nosavan, controlling the bulk of the royal army, set up in the south a pro-Western revolutionary government.

General Phoumi took Vientiane in December of 1960, driving the royal PM, Souvanna Phouma into exile in Cambodia.

SOVIET ENDORSED SOLUTION

In 1961, a cease-fire was arranged and the three princes agreed to a coalition government.

HO CHI MIHN TRAIL

North Vietnam remained active in Laos after the settlement. North Vietnam used a supply line (Ho Chi Minh Trail) running down the

mountain valleys of eastern Laos into South Vietnam,

MASSIVE BOMBING CAMPAIGNS

As a result of the growing alliance between North Vietnam and Laos the U.S. began leading bombing raids into Laos.

This ultimately led to a resurfacing of the civil war between the communists and the royalists in Laos

COMMUNIST VICTORY

In 1975, The Communist Pathet Lao seized complete power installing Souphanouvong as president

Since the implementation of communism other parties and political groups have fled the country.

The monarchy was abolished.

OPENING UP ECONOMICALLY

In 1991, Laos adopted a new constitution that dropped all references to socialism but retained the one-party state.

In began to implement a market-oriented economy. The results, starting from an extremely low base, were very

encouraging. Growth averaged 6% per year from 1988-2008 except during the

short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis that began in 1997.

Lao's growth exceeded 8% per year during 2008-12.

ECONOMIC POTENTIAL?

The Lao economy depends heavily on investment and trade with Thailand, Vietnam, and, especially in the north, China.

Subsistence agriculture still accounts for half of the GDP and provides 80% of employment.

Rice dominates agriculture, with about 80% of the arable land area used for growing rice.

The economy receives development aid from the IMF and other international sources and also encourages direct investment for the development.

Industry, hydropower and mining have shown promise. Tourism is the fastest-growing industry in the country. Laos is rich in mineral resources and the government hopes to attract

foreign investment to develop the substantial deposits of coal, gold, bauxite, tin, copper and other valuable metals.

Economic growth has reduced official poverty rates from 46% in 1992 to 26% in 2010.

DIPLOMATIC LIBERALIZATION

During the 1990s, the country began making more diplomatic overtures toward its neighbors.

In 1995, the U.S. announced a lifting of its ban on aid to the nation.

ANTI COMMUNIST RESISTANCE

Since March 2000, Vientiane has been rocked by a series of attacks. The attacks have been widely attributed to a group of Hmong tribesmen based in the north.

The anti-Communist rebel group has been protesting the government's reluctance to embrace democratic reforms.

Others attribute the bombs to rival factions in the government or military.

COMMUNIST PARTY REMAINS

In Feb. 2002 parliamentary elections, 165 out of 166 candidates were members of the governing Lao People's Revolutionary Party.

In 2006 and 2011, Choummaly Sayasone was elected party secretary-general and president of Laos.

COUNTERING CHINA

The removal of Laos from a United States blacklist that limits government support for US companies doing business with the Laos represents the latest strategic move by Washington to counterbalance China's rising influence in mainland Southeast Asia

The new designation will open the way for more American investment in one of Southeast Asia's poorest nations

SOMBATH SOMPHONE

American educated Laotian Agricultural specialist Sombath Somphone went missing on December 15th, 2012

Rumors circulated that he was taken into custody by the government, but they deny all responsibility. His detention was possibly a result of his vocal dissent against land redistribution.

It has become an international incident which has frayed relations between the west and Laos

WHERE IS HE?????????????

PLANE CRASH

On 17 May 2014 the Defense Minister, who was also Deputy Prime Minister, Major General Douangchay Phichit, with other top ranking officials was killed in a plane crash in the north of the country.

ARTICLE

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/10/world/asia/young-laotians-learn-chinese-to-improve-job-prospects.html?ref=topics

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcR7NOXdWGg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H8IHrNOXwo http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/an-eternal-dilemma-in-th

e-golden-triangle/?ref=topics&_r=0 (Golden Triangle)