Khammuoane authorities are turning former president Nouhak Phoumsavanh’s old residence into a national memorial to honor his legacy as one of Laos’ most influential revolutionary leaders.
On 5 May, Khammoune Governor Vanxay Phongsavanh and provincial officials visited Nongping village in Boualapha District to inspect the renovation of the historic home once occupied by the late Lao President.
Funded by the provincial government, the project includes restoration of the roof, interior structure, and surrounding landscape. The plan also features land demarcation and the construction of a 35-kilometer road connecting Nha Waed village to Thang Bang Nam Jala village to improve accessibility.

Born in Thailand in 1914, but holding a Lao nationality, Nouhak later moved to Savannakhet as a young man, working as a truck driver and owning a trucking business, operating between Laos and Vietnam, where he met the Vietminh. In 1933, he married Chanthom, with whom he had four children. Later, in 1944, he married Bounma Phoumsavanh, and they had five children together.
Around 1945, Nouhak connected with Souphanouvong and represented the Lao Issara movement. During the First Indochina War, he led guerrilla operations in coordination with the Vietminh along the Lao-Vietnamese border.
In 1955, Nouhak Phoumsavanh emerged as one of the key founding members of the Lao People’s Party (later renamed the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, LPRP), establishing himself as a prominent leader in the resistance movement against French colonial rule. As part of the influential triumvirate that spearheaded the opposition, he played a pivotal role in the three-decade civil war that culminated in 1975.
The Pathet Lao movement, with Nouhak as one of the central figures, established Laos’ new era in 1975.
After the country’s revolution, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. From 1982 to 1989, he served as the first Vice President of the Ministerial Assembly and was a permanent member of the council. In 1989, he became President of the Supreme People’s Assembly. He later assumed the role of the third President of Laos, serving from 1992 to 1996, during a crucial phase in the nation’s development. Nouhak passed away on 9 September 2008 at the age of 94.
In 2011, a memorial honoring Nouhak was erected at his birthplace in Mukdahan to honor his legacy. Mukdahan Governor Charnwit Vasayangkorn and his sister, Sida Phoumsavanh, attended the ceremony at the site, marking another important step in preserving his contributions beyond the border.