Vongkham Thiphavong

Vongkham Thiphavong was born on April 1, 1932 as the oldest son of Santhip and Somthip Thiphavong in Northern Laos (Baan Guun). He has 3 brothers and 2 sisters. He studied religion and the Laos language and graduated from the local school in his hometown.

Vongkham farmed his lands with his parents to help raise his 5 siblings. Then, he started a school in his hometown and became a teacher for 4 years. He also succeeded his father and became the Northern Laos Mayor and town leader.

In 1960 he was imprisoned with the Communist movement and got out of jail in 1964. He then settled in the Capitol, Vientiane, Laos (Baan Sawantong). There, he worked as an important government official for the Royal Thai Government until the civil war ended with the Communist takeover.

In 1975, he braved the perils of getting captured and shot and escaped, with his family, from the Communist rule in Laos. After a short stay at the Soon Nongkhai refugee camp in Thailand, Vongkham and his family arrived in California on October 23, 1979.

Vongkham settled in Orange County, CA with his wife, three sons and 2 daughters. He became a religious and social leader in Orange County, CA and helped raise money to create a Laos temple to teach the Buddhist religion and the Laos culture.

He lived a long, fulfilling and purposeful life and left this earth peacefully on November 24th, 2012.