Minister of Defense (Laos)

The Minister of defense (Lao: ລັດຖະມົນຕີກະຊວງປ້ອງກັນປະເທດ, romanized: ladthamonti kasuangpongkanpathed) is the head of the Ministry of Defense and is responsible for the Lao People's Armed Forces.

Minister of Defense
ລັດຖະມົນຕີກະຊວງປ້ອງກັນປະເທດ (Lao)
Incumbent Chansamone Chanyalath since 20 April 2016
Ministry of Defense
Member of	Lao People's Revolutionary Party the Government
Reports to	Prime Minister
Formation	2 December 1975
First holder	Khamtai Siphandone

List of officeholders

Kingdom of Laos (1953–1975)

Lao People's Democratic Republic (1975–present)

No.	Portrait	Name (Born-Died)	Term of office			Government	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Khamtai Siphandone (1924–2025)	2 December 1975	15 August 1991	15 years, 256 days	Government I–II	[1]
2		Choummaly Sayasone (born 1936)	15 August 1991	27 March 2001	9 years, 224 days	Government II–III–IV	[2][3]
3		Douangchay Phichit (1944–2014)	27 March 2001	17 May 2014 †	13 years, 51 days	Government IV–V–VI–VII	[4][5] [6]
4		Sengnuan Xayalath	17 May 2014	20 April 2016	1 year, 339 days	Government VII
5		Chansamone Chanyalath (born 1948)	20 April 2016	Incumbent	9 years, 121 days	Government VIII–IX