King Setthathirath —Vientiane, Laos
Posted by: 
Ianatlarge
N 17° 58.590 E 102° 38.130
48Q E 249596 N 1989180
A statue of a great Laos national leader, in the national capital.
Waymark Code: WMED7R
Location: Laos
Date Posted: 05/10/2012
Views: 7
While King Sethathirath (1534–1572) is regarded as one of the great kings of Laos, there seems to be little readily available information about the King in English. However, from what I gather from Wikipedia and a few other online sources, his background was as a member of the aristocratic families who ruled the region of what is now northern Thailand and western Laos. He became king of the city of Chiang Mai, but was later invited by the nobles of the Laos Kingdom of Lan Xang (what is now northern Laos) to become their King.
His reign is noted for his successful struggles with the expansionist King of Burma, King Bayinnaung, and for his construction work. He was assassinated in 1572.
The statue depicts the King in the seated position, wearing what looks to be chain mail and a regal hat, his sword across his knees. It rests on a ~2m high plinth, which has a biographical plaque on its forward face. In turn the plinth is on a dais around which is a small garden. The statue is on the approach to the famous national Laos symbol of Pha That Luang, which was constructed on order of the King.
Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.