title: Minister of Defense (Laos)
text: # Minister of Defense (Laos)
  
  The Minister of defense (Lao: ລັດຖະມົນຕີກະຊວງປ້ອງກັນປະເທດ, romanized: ladthamonti kasuangpongkanpathed) is the head of the Ministry of Defense and is responsible for the Lao People's Armed Forces.
  
  ## List of officeholders
  
  ### Lao People's Democratic Republic (1975–present)
  
  | No. | Portrait | Name (Born-Died) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Government | Ref. |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | No. | Portrait | Name (Born-Died) | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Government | Ref. |
  | 1 | | Khamtai Siphandone (born 1924) | 2 December 1975 | 15 August 1991 | 15 years, 256 days | Government I–II | |
  | 2 | | Choummaly Sayasone (born 1936) | 15 August 1991 | 27 March 2001 | 9 years, 224 days | Government II–III–IV | |
  | 3 | | Douangchay Phichit (1944–2014) | 27 March 2001 | 17 May 2014 † | 13 years, 51 days | Government IV–V–VI–VII | [4][5] [6] |
  | 4 | | Sengnuan Xayalath | 17 May 2014 | 20 April 2016 | 1 year, 339 days | Government VII | |
  | 5 | | Chansamone Chanyalath (born 1948) | 20 April 2016 | Incumbent | 7 years, 98 days | Government VIII–IX | |
  