In the 1800’s, Lane Xang began a period of decline as it entered into conflicts with its neighbouring countries; Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. In the 1900’s, the Siamese dynasty rose to power and established its dominance over the region that is now considered Laos, splitting it into the three principalities of Luang Prabang, Champassak and Vientiane. The Vietnamese meanwhile exerted some influence over the Northwest of the country but were not able to make any significant challenges to the Siamese control. In 1949, Laos was finally declared an independent state within the French Union and remained as such until 1953. Between 1954 and 1957, the country was under the control of Western governments following the establishment of the Geneva peace conference. 1957 saw the formation of a coalition government under the control of Prince Souvanna Phouma but this agreement subsequently collapsed a year later in 1958 amid pressure from rightist forces. In 1959 the communist insurgency took control of the country. In 1960, a coup was launched by a military captain who seized Vientiane and demanded that a neutralist government was instated in order to put an end to fighting between opposing political factions. The government was established, again under Prince Souvanna Phouma, but was very short lived seeing its deposal later that same year at the hands of rightist forces led by General Phoumi Nosavan. In 1972, the communist faction controlling the country renamed itself the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and went on to create a new coalition government following the Vientiane agreement of February 1973. Political unrest continued between opposing factions and events such as the collapse of Saigon and Phnom Penh in 1975 contributed to the decline of the country’s coalition government. In the same year, the king gave up his throne and handed his power to the people but this had little impact on the country other than to encourage the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party to dissolve the coalition agreement and take full control over the country’s governance. | 
