Od was born and raised in
Savannakhet, Laos. He has been a pro-democracy activist since at least 2015 and was a prominent critic of the
Lao government within the country before seeking refuge in Thailand, becoming officially recognised as a refugee by the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. At the time of his disappearance, Od was living in
Bangkok and awaiting
resettlement in a third country. While in Thailand, Od joined Free Lao, an organisation of Lao migrant workers as well as exiled activists, based in Bangkok and its surrounding provinces. Shortly before his disappearance, he posted a video online critical of the Lao government during an
ASEAN meeting in Bangkok. == Disappearance ==