The Laotian rightists were headed by General Phoumi Nosavan. Phoumi’s military
background and his expressed anti-communist stance had impressed the CIA and the
American military personnel in Vientiane, and they considered him the key man who
could save Laos from the communist advance. More importantly, General Phoumi was
Sarit’s cousin-once-removed. He called Sarit ‘uncle’. As Sarit and Phoumi shared an
anti-communist outlook and family ties, it is no wonder that Sarit was in full support
of Phoumi, and would help him gain influence in Laotian politics. Following a rigged
election and the use of dirty political tricks to oust his enemies, Phoumi reached his
zenith and at the top of Laotian politics by the first half of 1960