Puma - Puma (English spelling) Souvanna Phouma

A Laotian royal politician. In 1945, he was appointed Minister of Transport for "Free Laos (Lao Issara)", but in 1946, he fled to Thailand after France's return to Indochina. In 1949, he returned to Laos when it gained independence, and in 1951, he became Prime Minister. In 1957, he took a moderate stance as Prime Minister of the first coalition government with the left-wing "Lao Patriotic Front (Pathet Lao)" led by his half-brother Prince Suphannuphong. In 1958, he resigned under pressure from the pro-American right wing and became ambassador to France. In 1960, he returned to the position of Prime Minister in a neutral coup, but was ousted again in a right-wing coup the same year. In 1962, he became Prime Minister when the second coalition government of the three left-right and center-right factions was formed under the Geneva Accords. In 1964, he fell out with the Patriotic Front, but managed to maintain Laos' neutrality even during the 10-year civil war that followed. Following the 1973 Peace Accord, the Third Coalition Government was formed in 1974, and he again served as Prime Minister. In 1975, as the Indochinese revolutionary situation rose and the Patriotic Front seized power, he resigned and retired to become an adviser to the government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

[Yoneji Kuroyanagi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ラオスの王族政治家。1945年「自由ラオス(ラオ・イサラ)」の交通相に就任したが、1946年フランスのインドシナ復帰をみてタイに亡命。1949年ラオス独立で帰国、1951年首相に就任。1957年異母弟スファヌボン殿下率いる左派「ラオス愛国戦線(パテト・ラオ)」との第一次連合政府の首相として中道路線をとる。1958年親米右派の圧力を受けて辞職、駐仏大使に転出。1960年中立派のクーデターで首相に復帰したが、同年右派クーデターでふたたび失脚。1962年ジュネーブ協定に基づく左右中道三派の第二次連合政府の成立に伴い首相に就任。1964年愛国戦線と不和となったが、以後10年にわたる内戦期間中もかろうじてラオスの中立を維持した。1973年の和平協定を受けて1974年第三次連合政府が成立、またも首相に。1975年インドシナ革命情勢の高揚下に愛国戦線が実権を掌握するに及んで辞職、ラオス人民民主共和国政府顧問に退いた。

［黒柳米司］

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