Kouprasith Abhay ກຸປຣະສິທທິ໌ ອະພັຍ | |
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Nickname(s) | Fat K |
Born | 1926 Laos |
Died | c. 1999 (aged 72–73) France? |
Allegiance | Laos |
Service | Royal Lao Army |
Rank | Major general |
Awards | Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol[1] |
Major General Kouprasith Abhay (Lao: ກຸປຣະສິທທິ໌ ອະພັຍ; nicknamed 'Fat K'; 1926–1999?[2]) was a prominent military leader of the Kingdom of Laos during the Laotian Civil War. Scion of a socially prominent family, his military career was considerably aided by their influence. In early 1960, he was appointed to command of Military Region 5, which included Laos' capital city, Vientiane. Removed from that command on 14 December for duplicitous participation in the Battle of Vientiane, he was reappointed in October 1962. He would hold the post until 1 July 1971, thus controlling the troops in and around the capital. Over the years, he would be involved in one way or another in the coups of 1960,[3] 1964,[4][5] 1965,[6] 1966,[7] and 1973.[8] His service was marked by a deadly feud with another Laotian general, Thao Ma; the feud was largely responsible for the latter two coup attempts against the government.
After the Royal Lao Government fell to the communists in 1975, Kouprasith retired to exile in France.