Born in Laos, 1971, Vongpoothorn came to Australia in 1979. She completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts at the University of Western Sydney and a Masters of Fine Arts at the University of New South Wales (COFA). In 1997 she held an Artspace studio and has undertaken numerous residencies in Australia and overseas. A finalist in the Moet & Chandon art prize in 1998, Savanhdary's work is included in important public and private collections, including the Queensland Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Australia. She currently lives and works in Sydney.