Pholsena was born 18 November 1915, Pakse, Champasak to a Chinese merchant father and a Laotian mother.
With the backing of Prince Souvanna, Pholsena served various high-level administrative ranks in the government, notably as the district officer of Pakse from 1949 to 1952 and then as the governor of Xam Neua.
[3] After the Coup of 1960, a coalition government was formed between neutralists, communists and rightists on 18 November 1960.
On 8 December, Phouma relieved Kong Le from his command, but the next day Kong Le deposed Souvanna Phouma (who flew to Phnom Penh with Prince Boun Om and his other ministers) and Pholsena, then Minister of the Interior, was appointed premier, who was unrecognised.
As the couple left the car, Quinim mounted the steps and one of the soldiers who was assigned to protect his villa, lance corporal Chy Song, stepped forward and fired from his submachine gun that killed him and seriously wounded his wife, who was wounded in both legs.