1965 Laotian coups

1965 Laotian coups
Part of Laotian Civil War, Vietnam War
Date Phoumi's coup: January 27, 1965 (1965-01-27)—February 4, 1965 (1965-02-04) Bounleut's coup: 31 January 1965 Location Phoumi's coup: Kingdom of Laos, between Paksan and Vientiane; also within Viantiane Bounleut's coup: Viantiane Result Phoumi Nosavan's coup suppressed by Kouprasith Abhay. Bounleut Saycocie's coup makes peace with Kouprasith Abhay and he and his forces re-join Mobile Group 17. Kouprasith preemptively attacks forces of Siho Lamphouthacoul. Phoumi's villa looted. Subsequent unrest is also suppressed, Phoumi and Siho exiled to Thailand. .
Belligerents
Supporters of Phoumi	Kingdom of Laos	Supporters of Bounleut Directorate of National Coordination
Commanders and leaders
Phoumi Nosovan	Koprasith Abhay William H. Sullivan	Bounleut Saycocie Siho Lamphouthacoul
Units involved
Battalion of Volunteers 22 Two companies of Battalion of Infantry 13	Mobile Group 17 Police forces Volunteer Battalion 52 One L-20 Beaver Artillery	Three companies of Mobile Group 17 DNC Special Battalion 33 DNC Special Battalion 11 DNC Special Battalion 99

The 1965 Laotian coups were two separate and simultaneous coups that struck the Kingdom of Laos in January 1965. General Phoumi Nosavan, a participant in four prior coups, had been deprived of troop command as a result; nevertheless, he managed to come up with troops for another try at overthrowing the Royal Lao Government. Simultaneously, Colonel Bounleut Saycocie independently mounted his own coup; after a short term takeover of Vientiane's radio station and infrastructure, he and his coup troops would rejoin the government forces sent to attack them. General Kouprasith Abhay, the military region commander, suppressed both coups. After re-acquiring Bounleut's troops, Kouprasith turned on the national police force and its commander, Siho Lamphouthacoul, as he felt they were untrustworthy and likely to join Phoumi's coup. The police force was defeated and disbanded. The troops Phoumi counted on never reached Vientiane; they were defeated and dispersed. By 4 February 1965, both coups were defeated. A purge of suspected dissident officers from the Lao officer corps followed.

An insurrection was threatened in Thakhek on 26 March 1965, but was quelled bloodlessly. The mutinous units' officers' ranks were purged of insurgents, who exiled themselves to nearby Thailand. Three weeks later, Phoumi's defeated coup troops once again threatened to stage a coup. Kouprasith sent a regiment to overcome this battalion. About two-thirds of its troops deserted; its commanding officer was executed. Both Phoumi and Siho ended their careers in exile in Thailand.