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| 1961, Feb. 19 |
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| King Savang Vathana asked for an impartial three-man commission of Cambodia, Burma, and Malaya to help restore peace in Laos. He affirmed Laos's neutrality and declared that Premier Boun Oum would effect a policy of nonalignment. | 1 |
| On Feb. 20, the U.S. voiced approval and urged the USSR to support the king's neutrality statement and cooperate with the three-man commission. | 2 |
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| May 3 |
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| The Laotian cease-fire agreement between the government and the pro-Communist rebels went into effect. | 3 |
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| May 16 |
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| A 14-nation conference on Laos, under the joint chairmanship of Britain and the USSR, met in Geneva. The most troublesome issues were (1) the establishment of an effective cease-fire, for frequent reports revealed continuing advances of the Pathet Lao; and (2) the formation of a Laotian government acceptable to the three factions. | 4 |
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| June 22 |
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| The three rival princes—rightist Boun Oum, neutralist Souvanna Phouma, and leftist Souphanouvong, meeting in Zürich, announced agreement upon a coalition government, without revealing details. | 5 |
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| July 30 |
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| The National Assembly amended the constitution to empower the king to name a government without assembly approval. | 6 |
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