ics ▁Category : Max ▁Plan ck ▁Institute ▁for ▁Compar ative ▁Public ▁Law ▁and ▁International ▁Law ▁people ▁Category : 1 9 7 5 ▁birth s ▁Category : Al - F ar abi ▁University ▁al umn i ▁Category : Univers ity ▁of ▁Michigan ▁fell ows <0x0A> </s> ▁B oun n hang ▁Vor ach ith ▁( ; ▁born ▁ 1 5 ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 7 ) ▁is ▁a ▁La ot ian ▁politician ▁who ▁has ▁been ▁General ▁Secretary ▁of ▁the ▁La o ▁People ' s ▁Revolution ary ▁Party ▁( de ▁fact o ▁leader ) ▁and ▁President ▁of ▁La os ▁( de ▁j ure ▁head ▁of ▁state ) ▁since ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁Pre viously ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁as ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁and ▁as ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁La os ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Bou ng n ang ▁Vor ach ith ▁joined ▁the ▁Path et ▁La o ▁resistance ▁movement ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁and ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁propag anda ▁department ▁of ▁the ▁armed ▁forces ▁in ▁Sav ann ak het . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁fighting ▁troops . ▁He ▁studied ▁in ▁Vietnam ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁then ▁returned ▁to ▁La os ▁to ▁help ▁prepare ▁for ▁the