Nov 10 – Government officials, with the help of Lao Airlines staff, joined together to surprise Prime Minister Sisoulith with a birthday cake on his 72nd birthday, on a plane. The Prime Minister and his delegation were en route to the 31st ASEAN Summit that is to take place during 11-14 November in Manila (the Philippines).
In a rare, light hearted video released by the Support Prime Minister Thongloung Sisoulith Facebook Page, a senior government official (appearing to be Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Khampheng Saysompheng) holds a fruitcake in front of the Prime Minister as he blows out the candles, inciting a convivial applause from the surrounding staff, who were all in on the surprise.
During a time when he is spearheading an unprecedented reform movement in Laos, the Prime Minister still gets out of his seat for an enjoyable time with his colleagues. Acknowledging that life isn’t all about politics, the Prime Minister can be seen putting on a contagious smile, one that makes us all forget, for a fleeting moment, about all the problems that he has to face when the plane lands.
It’s no wonder they call him the Nayok Kuanchai Paxason (the People’s Prime Minister).
