Keo Viphakone

Henri Boucharon (15 August 1917 – 13 April 2006), better known by his adopted Lao name Keo Viphakone, was a Laotian diplomat, nationalist and public servant who demonstrated exemplary performance in his various government posts. For his achievements, he garnered several awards including Commander grade of the Order of the Million Elephants and the White Parasol, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, and Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service in 1967.

Personal life and education The eldest of seven children, Keo belonged to an upper-middle-class family in Luang Prabang. His father was a French soldier and for this, he could have been a French citizen. When Keo's father returned to France after suffering an illness, he had attempted to take Keo with him but Keo's grandmother refused to let her favorite grandson go. The same grandmother almost succeeded in keeping Keo away from school until a teacher found him playing by a Mekong River tributary and brought him back to school.

Later on as Secretary of State for Social Welfare, Keo gained the support of Filipino organization Operation Brotherhood to train workers needed in the programs that he developed. As Laos's demand for skilled labor increased, Keo initiated studies on labor laws in Laos which led to the creation of the Labor Department which shall focus on developing skilled manpower.

Throughout his career as public servant, Keo lived in integrity and simplicity, having a simple house and without even a car of his own. Order of Civic Merit of Laos Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service (1967) Combat Veteran’s Medal of Laos Medal of the Kingdom of Laos in Gold Medal of the Lao Veterans Legion