Career
He has also been the Vice President of Laos since 2006. Previously he served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1996 to 2001 and as Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006. He became Vice President on June 8, 2006 when Bouasone Bouphavanh was appointed as Prime Minister.
At the 10th Congress of the Lao People"s Revolutionary Party, he was elected to succeed Choummaly Sayasone as General Secretary on 22 January 2016, effectively making him the leader of Laos.