Military ranks of the Lao People's Armed Forces

The following tables present the ranks of the Lao People's Armed Forces, which, as a former French dominion, follow a rank system similar to those used by the French Armed Forces. The design closely follows the Soviet pattern, with two important exceptions: 1) senior officers have a broad coloured stripe instead of two narrow stripes used in the Soviet model; 2) stars are of equal size for all the ranks.

Officers[]

Rank group	General/flag officers					Field/senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet
Lao People's Army^[1] v t
Lao People's Army^[1] v t		ພົນເອກ Phonoek	ພົນໂທ Phonoth	ພົນຕີ Phon ti	ພົນຈັດຕະວາ Phonchadtauaa	ພັນເອກ Phanoek	ພັນໂທ Phanoth	ພັນຕີ Phan ti	ຮ້ອຍເອກ Honyoek	ຮ້ອຍໂທ Hony oth	ຮ້ອຍຕີ Hony ti
Lao People's Navy^[1] v t
Lao People's Navy^[1] v t		General ພົນເອກ	Lieutenant general ພົນໂທ	Major general ພົນຕີ	Brigadier general ພົນຈັດຕະວາ	Colonel ພັນເອກ	Lieutenant Colonel ພັນໂທ	Major ພັນຕີ	Captain ຮ້ອຍເອກ	Lieutenant ຮ້ອຍໂທ	Second Lieutenant ຮ້ອຍຕີ
Lao People's Liberation Air Force^[1] v t
Lao People's Liberation Air Force^[1] v t		ພົນເອກ Phonoek	ພົນໂທ Phonoth	ພົນຕີ Phon ti	ພົນຈັດຕະວາ Phonchadtauaa	ພັນເອກ Phanoek	ພັນໂທ Phanoth	ພັນຕີ Phan ti	ຮ້ອຍເອກ Honyoek	ຮ້ອຍໂທ Hony oth	ຮ້ອຍຕີ Hony ti
Laos Police v t												Unknown
Laos Police v t		General ພົນເອກ	Lieutenant general ພົນໂທ	Major general ພົນຕີ	Brigadier general ພົນຈັດຕະວາ	Colonel ພັນເອກ	Lieutenant Colonel ພັນໂທ	Major ພັນຕີ	Captain ຮ້ອຍເອກ	Lieutenant ຮ້ອຍໂທ	Second lieutenant ຮ້ອຍຕີ	Unknown
Rank group	General/flag officers					Field/senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet

Pre-1983 general ranks[]

Laos People's Army Phonoek rank insignia 1975-1983
Laos People's Navy Phonoek rank insignia 1975-1983
Laos People's Air Force Phonoek rank insignia 1975-1983
Laos People's Police Phonoek rank insignia 1975-1983

Enlisted[]

Rank group	Senior NCOs				Junior NCOs	Enlisted
Lao People's Army^[1] v t
Lao People's Army^[1] v t		ວາທີ Va thi	ສິບເອກ Sib ek	ສິບໂທ Sib oth	ສິບຕີ Sib ti	ຊັ້ນຫນຶ່ງ Sannung	ຊັ້ນສອງ Sansong
Lao People's Navy^[1] v t
Lao People's Navy^[1] v t		ວາທີ Va thi	ສິບເອກ Sib ek	ສິບໂທ Sib oth	ສິບຕີ Sib ti	ຊັ້ນຫນຶ່ງ Sannung	ຊັ້ນສອງ Sansong
Lao People's Liberation Air Force^[1] v t
Lao People's Liberation Air Force^[1] v t		ວາທີ Va thi	ສິບເອກ Sib ek	ສິບໂທ Sib oth	ສິບຕີ Sib ti	ຊັ້ນຫນຶ່ງ Sannung	ຊັ້ນສອງ Sansong
Laos Police v t
Laos Police v t		Sergeant major ວາທີ	First sergeant ສິບເອກ	Sergeant ສິບໂທ	Corporal ສິບຕີ	Private First Class ສິບຕຣີ	Private ພົນທະຫານ
Rank group	Senior NCOs				Junior NCOs	Enlisted