Than Shwe (Burmese:သန်းရွှေ;pronounced[θáɰ̃ʃwè]; born 2 February 1933) is a retired Burmese army general who held influential positions withinMyanmar's government.[3][4] Serving as thechairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) from 1992 to 2011, he played a significant role in shaping the country's political landscape.[5][6][7][8][9][10] During his tenure, he exercised considerable authority, contributing to a centralized power structure.[11][12][13][14] His governance saw the implementation of various policies aimed at economic development, modernization and infrastructure improvements.[15][16][17][18] Than Shwe was also involved in efforts to stabilize the country and manageinternal conflicts.[19] While his leadership was marked by significant achievements, it also faced scrutiny and criticism, particularly regarding allegations of human rights abuses and restrictions on political freedoms.[20][21][22][23] Than Shwe's tenure coincided with a period of political transition and international scrutiny, withMyanmar experiencing both internal and external challenges.[24][25][26][27]
On 26 February 1958, Than Shwe's career took an international turn as he was assigned to the newly established Directorate of Education andPsychological warfare within the War Office.[73][74][75] Between April 1958 and November 1958, he underwent specialized army officers' training in theSoviet Union, conducted by theKGB.[76][77][78] Subsequently, on 9 December 1961, he assumed the role of a company commander in No. 1 Psychological Warfare Battalion under Northern Regional Military Command on 9 December 1961.[79][80][81] He later became the psychological warfare officer of the 3rdInfantry Brigade on 4 December 1961. On 18 December 1963, he was transferred to Central Political College as an instructor.[82][83] He was then posted to 101 Light Infantry Battalion as a temporary company commander for the battalion headquarters unit.[84][85][86][87]
He assumed the role of a No. 1 Infantry Battalion on 23 August 1971 and earned a promotion to the rank oflieutenant colonel on 7 September 1972. As the commanding officer of No. 1 Infantry Battalion, he actively participated in offensive operations against various insurgents carried out by the 88th Light Infantry Division (LID) in the Bhamo region,Northern Shan State, Southern Shan State, and Eastern Shan State. Than Shwe was then transferred back to the Operations Planning Department within the Office of Chief of Staff (ARMY) as aGeneral Staff Officer (G1) on 4 August 1975. On 26 March 1977, he attained the rank of acolonel and assumed the position of deputy commander of the 88th LID Light Infantry Division on 2 May 1978.[99]
In March 1980, Than Shwe becamecommanding officer of the 88th LID. He oversaw various operations, including Operation Ye Naing Aung, Operation Nay Min Yang, and Operation Min Yan Aung, carried out by the 88th LID. In 1981, he was elected as a member of the rulingBurma Socialist Programme Party's Central Executive Committee during the fourth session of the Party's conference.[100]
He took on the role of commanding officer at the Southern Western Regional Military Command on 22 July 1983 and subsequently became the chairman of Irrawaddy Division Party Committee on 5 August 1983. Than Shwe was promoted tobrigadier general on 16 August 1984 and assumed the position of vice chief of staff (Army) on 4 November 1985.[101]
Promoted to major general on 4 November 1986 and to lieutenant general on 4 November 1987, he assumed the position ofDeputy Minister of Defence on 27 July 1988.[102]
Than Shwe relaxed some state control over the economy, and was a supporter of Burma's participation in theAssociation of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). He also oversaw a large crackdown on corruption, which saw the sackings of a number of cabinet ministers and regional commanders in 1997.
The convention for the "Discipline Democracy New Constitution" was convened from 9 January 1993 to 3 September 2007, a period of more than 14 years and 8 months. Although the main opposition party,National League for Democracy (NLD) led byAung San Suu Kyi, which won the multi-party democracygeneral election in 1990, did not participate, the chairman of National Convention Lieutenant GeneralThein Sein announced that the creation of the "Constitution" had been accomplished.
Than Shwe has continued the suppression of the free press in Burma, and has overseen the detention of journalists who oppose his regime. While he oversaw the release ofAung San Suu Kyi during the late 1990s, he also oversaw her return to detention in 2003. Despite his relaxation of some restrictions on Burma's economy, his economic policies have been often criticized as ill-planned.[105][106]
He maintains a low profile, often perceived as reserved and serious, with a reputation as a hardliner and a skilled manipulator. Some observers note that he opposes the democratization of Burma.[107] He marks national holidays and ceremonies with messages in the state-run newspapers but rarely engages with the press. The lavish wedding of his daughter, involving diamonds and champagne, was particularly controversial in a country whose people continue to suffer enormous poverty and enforced austerity.[108]
Power struggles have plagued Burma's military leadership. Than Shwe has been linked to the toppling and arrest of Prime MinisterKhin Nyunt in 2004, which has significantly increased his own power.[109] The former premier, who said he supported Aung San Suu Kyi's involvement in theNational Convention, was seen as a moderate at odds with the junta's hardliners.
Than Shwe is said to rely heavily on advice from his soothsayers, a style of ruling dating back to GeneralNe Win, a leader who once shot his mirror to avoid bad luck.[110]
In May and November 2006 he met with theUnited Nations special envoyIbrahim Gambari in the newly built capital ofNaypyidaw, which had replacedYangon in the previous year, and permitted Gambari to meet withAung San Suu Kyi. However, Than Shwe refused to meet Gambari when he visited Burma in November 2007 and again on 10 March 2008.[111]
In early May 2008, Than Shwe refused many foreign aid workers from entering the country in the aftermath ofCyclone Nargis (2 May 2008).[112] This led to many criticisms from theUN as well as the international community.
In early July 2009, theUN Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-Moon visited Burma and held talks with Senior General Than Shwe. The military junta rejected UN Secretary General's request to meet withAung San Suu Kyi. Than Shwe also commented on the upcoming2010 Burmese election, saying that by the time the UN chief next visits Burma, "I will be an ordinary citizen, a lay person, and my colleagues will too because it will be a civilian government."[113]
On 27 August 2010, rumours surfaced that Than Shwe and his deputy,Vice-Senior GeneralMaung Aye, along with six other top military officers, had resigned their military posts, and that he was expected to remain head of state until at least the end of the 2011 fiscal year, when he would transfer his position to the elected president.[114] The rumor was proven false as the Burmese state media referred to him as "Senior General" three days later.[115]
Than Shwe's leadership has faced criticism for violence and human rights abuses. According toAmnesty International, human rights violation in Myanmar were described as "widespread and systematic."[116] Reports suggested that a significant number of Burmese individuals, potentially reaching up to a million, were allegedly subjected to forced labor in "jungle gulags". The absence of free speech and intolerance towards dissent were notable characteristics of the government. In 2007, during theSaffron Revolution, mass demonstrations led by Buddhist monks were suppressed by security forces, resulting in casualties and detentions.[117] Persistent rumors circulated that thousands of monks and others being rounded up and summarily executed, with their bodies reportedly dumped in the jungle.[116]
In 1998 Than Shwe ordered the execution of 59 civilians living onChristie Island. The local commander initially hesitated, expressing concerns about the issuing commander's alleged intoxication, but was informed that the instruction came from "Aba Gyi" or "Great Father"—a term used to refer to Senior General Than Shwe.[118]
Than Shwe's wife,Kyaing Kyaing, is ofChinese andPa'O descent. They have five daughters, Aye Aye Thit Shwe, Dewa Shwe, Khin Pyone Shwe, Kyi Kyi Shwe, and Thandar Shwe, and three sons, Kyaing San Shwe, Thant Zaw Shwe and Htun Naing Shwe.[119][120]Than Shwe is known to be a diabetic,[109] and he is rumored to haveintestinal cancer.[121] Little else is known about his private life as he rarely makes public appearances or discloses personal information.[122]
Than Shwe flew toSingapore on 31 December 2006. Concerns about Than's health intensified after he failed to appear at an officialIndependence Day dinner for military leaders, officials, and diplomats on 4 January 2007. It was the first time since he took power in 1992 that Shwe did not host the annual dinner. Than Shwe had checked out of theSingapore General Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment, and returned to Burma two weeks later.[citation needed]
In 2006, a home video footage of the wedding of Than Shwe's daughter, Thandar Shwe, was leaked on the Internet, which sparked controversy and criticism from Burmese and foreign media for the lavish and seemingly ostentatious reception.[108][123] After days ofSaffron Revolution, there were unconfirmed reports that Than Shwe's wife and pets fled the country on 27 September 2007, possibly toLaos.[citation needed]
In January 2009, Than Shwe was talked into buying one of the world's most popular football clubs,Manchester United, for $1 billion by his favourite grandsonNay Shwe Thway Aung. However, he reportedly abandoned the plan, because such an investment only months after nearly 150,000 people were killed byCyclone Nargis was deemed inappropriate.[124]
In August 2021, Than Shwe and his wife tested positive forCOVID-19. They have been warded at the 1,000-bed military-owned hospital in Thaik Chaung.[125][126]
On 23 October 2024, a significant event unfolded whenNay Soe Maung, Than Shwe's son-in-law married to Kyi Kyi Shwe, was detained byMyanmar's currentmilitary government in Pyigyidagun Township,Mandalay.[127][128] A medical doctor and former military officer, Nay Soe Maung is also the father ofNay Shwe Thway Aung, Than Shwe's grandson.[129][130] The authorities cited concerns over his social media activities, claiming they disrupted public order and incited unrest.[131][132] This arrest has drawn attention, particularly given Nay Soe Maung's previous criticisms of the military’s response to civil resistance after the2021 coup.[133][134]
The incident reflects the ongoing tensions within Myanmar’s military elite and raises questions about the enduring influence of Than Shwe's legacy. Despite his past ties to the current leadership, Nay Soe Maung's situation highlights that familial connections do not guarantee protection in the current political landscape.[135][136][137]
In a show of support for his father,Nay Shwe Thway Aung posted on hisFacebook story on 26 October 2024: "Doing such things makes the people suffer... Let's think carefully," and in Burmese: "အဲ့လိုတွေလုပ်လေပြည်သူကနာကျည်းလေ.. စဉ်းစားချင့်ချိန်လုပ်ကြပါ.." This statement underscores the challenges facing those within the former ruling elite as they navigate the complexities of the current military regime.
In an October 2010 state visit, BurmeseState Peace and Development Council members greeted Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva inacheik patternedlongyi typically worn by women. Various sources attributed this toyadaya practices.
Than Shwe often performed superstitiousyadaya rituals to maintain his power and followed the advice of astrologers and shamans. A seated jade Buddha statue that Than Shwe had carved in his image was erected in 1999 at the southern entrance ofShwedagon pagoda. It is on a list of unorthodox statues drawn up by the religious affairs ministry. Former UN secretary-generalBan Ki-moon and Chinese presidentXi Jinping are among those who have paid respects at the statue during visits to Yangon.[138]
As a notoriously superstitious, the unusual clothing choices, namely the wearing of traditional femaleacheik-patternedlongyi (sarongs) by Than Shwe and other military generals at public appearances, includingUnion Day celebrations in February 2011 and at the reception of the Lao Prime MinisterBouasone Bouphavanh in June 2011 have also been attributed to yadaya, as a way to divert power to neutralizeAung San Suu Kyi's power.[139][140]
Myanmar
Myanmar Army
Senior General
Media related toThan Shwe at Wikimedia Commons
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