His Excellency Thongphane Savanphet, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to the United Nations. (DOC: 11 July 2025)

His Excellency Thongphane Savanphet is a ninth Permanent Representative of the Lao PDR to the United Nations with over three decades of experience in foreign affairs, regional cooperation, and multilateral diplomacy.

On 11 July 2025, he presented his credentials to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, officially assuming the role of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to the United Nations.

He was born on 28 June 1964 in Bolikhamxay Province, Lao PDR. Ambassador Savanphet holds a Master’s degree in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom (1997–1998) and a Master’s degree in Public International Law from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University), Russia (1983–1988). He also undertook specialized training in English at the University of Canberra, Australia, and in the Russian language at the Institute of Foreign Languages in Kiev, Ukraine.

Ambassador Savanphet currently serves as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position he has held since September 2016. His distinguished diplomatic career includes his tenure as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Lao PDR to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva (2013–2016), as well as Ambassador to Switzerland and non-resident Ambassador to Greece, Italy, Liechtenstein, Malta, and Turkey.

Prior to these postings, he held several senior positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Director-General and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Economic Affairs. He has also served in key regional roles at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia, and was previously posted at the Embassy of the Lao PDR in Canberra, Australia.

He is fluent in English and Russian. Ambassador Savanphet is married to Mrs. Dalavanh Savanphet, and they have three daughters.