Lao Premiere, Thongsing Thammavong was among the world leaders attending the State Funeral of Excellency Mr Lee Kuan Yew

Introduction: Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, Thongsing Thammavong was among the world leaders attending the State Funeral Services of His Excellency Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who passed away on Monday aged 91.

Story: The State Funeral of His Excellency Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who passed away on March 23, was held in Singapore on Sunday the 29th of March. He was widely regarded by Singaporeans and abroad as the father of modern Singapore.

Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, Thongsing Thammavong, accompanied by his senior officials, paid personal respects to His Excellency Late Lee Kuan Yew at the Parliament House in Singapore, where the former Prime Minister of Singapore lies in state. The Lao Premiere and his delegation travelled to Singapore to pay respects to the country’s founding father, who passed away on March 23rd, and offer condolences to the people of Singapore.

His Excellency Late Lee Kuan Yew was the first Prime Minister of Singapore, and is credited for bringing the entire country from third-world to first-world status in a single generation. He has been widely admired by leaders across the world, and his policies studied and emulated.

The funeral procession began on Sunday at 12:30 pm (04:30 GMT) at Parliament House, where the coffin was carried on a gun carriage. The funeral cortege covered a distance of almost fifteen and a half kilometers and passed significant national landmarks, including the Old Parliament House, and the City Hall, on its way to the University Cultural Centre at the National University of Singapore.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, and foreign leaders including Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao, were all in attendance.

In his eulogy, Mr Lee’s son, the current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said his father had “lived and breathed Singapore all his life”. He said, “The light that has guided us all these years has been extinguished,”

Thousands of people lined up along the streets in torrential rain to view the funeral procession that carried Mr Lee’s coffin as it passed by.

The funeral comes at the end of a week of national mourning. Local media reports that more than one million people have visited tribute sites across Singapore to pay their respects.

Despite torrential rain, tens of thousands lined the streets to view the funeral procession carrying Mr Lee’s coffin through the city-state.

Mr Lee, who was born in 1923, formed the People’s Action Party in 1954, then became Prime Minister in 1959. He led the nation through a merger with the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, as well as into Independence in 1965.

He leaves behind two sons – Lee Hsien Loong and Lee Hsien Yang – and a daughter, Lee Wei Ling.

Source: Lao National Television News in English
Broadcast on March 30, 2015