Somsavat Lengsavad (original) (raw)

Somsavat Lengsavad (Lao: ສົມສະຫວາດ ເລັ່ງສະຫວັດ; born 15 June 1945) is a former Deputy Prime Minister of Laos. An ethnic Chinese, Chinese name: 凌绪光 (Lin Xuguang), who hails from Luang Prabang with ancestry from Hainan, he was a protégé of Kaysone Phomvihane. In 1961 he joined the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and fought in the Laotian Civil War. He became foreign minister in 1993 and served until 8 June 2006, when he was replaced by Thongloun Sisoulith. He is fluent in Standard Chinese.