Souvanna Phouma
Even before the mutineers could act, Unger and Bundy visited Phoumi. He promised them the release of Souvanna Phouma, Amka Soukhavong, and the other neutralists. Once they were released the following day, Souvanna Phouma returned to negotiations for a coalition government. He succeeded, but had to agree to fill vacant communist seats in the Royal Lao Government. The Prime Minister, under pressure from the rightists, did not fill the Pathet Lao slots in the government. Despite the political pressure, Souvanna Phouma replaced Phoumi as Defense Minister. No sooner was Phoumi stripped of power than Siho and Kouprasith wanted in on his gambling rackets, and his opium and gold smuggling operations. Meanwhile, on 3 June, Souphanouvong announced that the Pathet Lao no longer recognized Souvanna as Prime Minister; this effectively ended their participation in the coalition.