President Tharman PM Wong lament passing of former Lao president Khamtay

SINGAPORE – Singapore’s leaders have expressed their condolences over the passing of Laos’ former president Khamtay Siphandone, recognising his role as a statesman and a binding force within Asean.

Mr Khamtay died on April 2 from an age-related illness.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam praised Mr Khamtay’s milestone achievements in a letter to his Lao counterpart, President Thongloun Sisoulith, according to a statement by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 7.

“President Khamtay was a central and deeply respected figure in the history of the Lao PDR (People’s Democratic Republic),” he said in his letter dated April 4.

He cited, in particular, Mr Khamtay’s role in steering his nation into Asean membership in 1997, “enhancing regional cooperation and contributing to stability in South-east Asia”.

President Tharman said: “He also played a crucial role in strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries, laying the foundation for a lasting friendship between our peoples.”

Mr Khamtay made the first-ever official visit by a Lao prime minister to Singapore in 1995, and hosted then President S R Nathan in 2003 for the first-ever state visit by a Singapore president to Laos.

In a letter to Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on April 7, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong described Mr Khamtay as “a towering statesman who dedicated his life to the service of the Lao people”.

He said: “President Khamtay was a good friend of Singapore. He played a personal role in establishing the strong friendship between the Lao PDR and Singapore.”

He added that Mr Khamtay’s hard work “laid the groundwork for the excellent relations our countries enjoy today, as we continue to broaden and deepen our bilateral and regional cooperation following the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations and Laos’ chairmanship of Asean in 2024”.