Thein Sein
Encyclopedia
Thein Sein is a Burmese politician and military figure who has been president
of Myanmar (Burma) since March 2011. Previously, he was Prime Minister from 2007 until 2011. He is generally considered to be a moderate and reformist in the new government.
in 1968.
Throughout Thein Sein's four-decade-long military career, he was considered a bureaucrat, not a combat soldier. In 1988, he served as a major for Sagaing Division
's 55th Light Infantry Division and later served as a commander for Sagaing Division's 89th Infantry Battalion in Kalay Township
. The following year, he studied at the Command and General Staff College in Kalaw
, Shan State
.
By 1991, he had returned to Yangon
, after being promoted to the rank of colonel and 1st Grade General Staff Officer in the War Office. He was then promoted to Brigadier General, but remained at his position in the War Office, which marked the first time a Brigadier General was promoted to General Staff Officer.
In 1995, he was recruited as the commander of Yangon Division
's Military Operations Command 4 in Hmawbi
. A year later, in 1996, he was appointed to lead the new Triangle Regional Military Command in Kyaingtong, Shan State
, serving this role for four years (1997-2001). In 1997, he became a member of the State Peace and Development Council
and was appointed as Secretary-2 in 2003. He was also promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General that year.
After Khin Nyunt
was deposed in 2004, Thein Sein was promoted to Secretary-1.
, who was undergoing medical treatment for leukemia
. Thein Sein was formally appointed as Soe Win's permanent successor on 24 October 2007 after Soe Win's death on 12 October 2007.
Sein held the position of first secretary in the ruling State Peace and Development Council
junta
. He was the country's fourth-highest ranking general, and also served as the chairman of the government-sponsored National Convention Convening Commission. Thein Sein carried out high-level negotiations with Bangladesh
and Cambodia
.
In 2007, sometime after his official appointment as prime minister, he was promoted to the rank of General from Lieutenant General. On his first official visit outside Myanmar as prime minister, Thein Sein carried out high-level negotiations with Laos
, Vietnam
and Cambodia.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis
in May 2008, he led the National Disaster Preparedness Central Committee as chairman and was criticized for the government's systematic blocking of relief efforts.
as a civilian. During the 2010 general election
, he was head of the Union Solidarity and Development Party
, which contested in a controversial elections and won the overwhelming majority of seats in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
. Thein Sein ran against National Unity Party
candidate Kyaw Aye during the election, contesting a Pyithu Hluttaw
seat to represent the constituents of Naypyidaw Union Territory
's Zabu Thiri Township. He purportedly won 91.2% of the votes (65,620).
On 4 February 2011, Sein was elected by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
's Presidential Electoral College as the next president of Myanmar
; he is officially the first civilian President the country has seen in almost 50 years. Tin Aung Myint Oo
and Sai Mauk Kham
were named as the new vice-presidents.
Sein was sworn in on 30 March 2011 alongside the two vice presidents and the newly elected parliament. In the first month of his presidency, he sought the support of ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan
to support Burma's bid to chair the ASEAN Summit
in 2014. As of July 2011, the government has formed a planning committee led by foreign affairs minister Wunna Maung Lwin
.
Thein Sein has been considered a moderate and has not been opposed to engaging with Aung San Suu Kyi
; he had a high-profile meeting with her in Naypyidaw on 19 August 2011.
On 17 August 2011, he was quoted by the state newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar as saying:
Various news sources intrepreted his suggestion as an invitation for overseas Burmese citizens to return to their country of origin and help rebuild the Burmese economy.
He suffers from heart disease
and uses a pacemaker
.
President of Burma
The President of Burma is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and leads the executive branch of the Burmese government, and heads the Cabinet of Burma. The president is elected by members of parliament, not by the general population. The Presidential...
of Myanmar (Burma) since March 2011. Previously, he was Prime Minister from 2007 until 2011. He is generally considered to be a moderate and reformist in the new government.
Political career
Thein Sein graduated from the 9th intake of the Defence Services AcademyDefence Services Academy
The Defence Services Academy located in Pyin Oo Lwin, is the premier military service academy of Myanmar, training future officers for all three branches of Burmese military. The Ministry of Defence administered academy offers bachelor's degree programs in liberal arts, combined physical sciences,...
in 1968.
Throughout Thein Sein's four-decade-long military career, he was considered a bureaucrat, not a combat soldier. In 1988, he served as a major for Sagaing Division
Sagaing Division
Sagaing Region is an administrative region of Burma , located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east...
's 55th Light Infantry Division and later served as a commander for Sagaing Division's 89th Infantry Battalion in Kalay Township
Kalaymyo
Kalaymyo , also known as Karlaymyo, is a town in the Sagaing Division of Burma. It is located upstream from Mandalay and Monywa on the Myittha River, a tributary of the Chindwin River. The town is the district headquarters of the Kalay District...
. The following year, he studied at the Command and General Staff College in Kalaw
Kalaw
For the bird locally known as Kalaw see Rufous HornbillKalaw is a hill town in the Shan State of Burma. It is located in Kalaw Township in Taunggyi District. The town was popular with the British during colonial rule. Kalaw is the main place of the novel by Jan Philipp Sendker, "Das...
, Shan State
Shan State
Shan State is a state of Burma . Shan State borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Burma in the west. Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers 155,800 km², almost a quarter of the total...
.
By 1991, he had returned to Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
, after being promoted to the rank of colonel and 1st Grade General Staff Officer in the War Office. He was then promoted to Brigadier General, but remained at his position in the War Office, which marked the first time a Brigadier General was promoted to General Staff Officer.
In 1995, he was recruited as the commander of Yangon Division
Yangon Division
Yangon Region is an administrative region of Myanmar. Located in the heart of Lower Myanmar, the division is bordered by Bago Region in the north and east, the Gulf of Martaban in the south, and Ayeyarwady Region in the west. Yangon Region is dominated by its capital city of Yangon, the former...
's Military Operations Command 4 in Hmawbi
Hmawbi Township
Hmawbi Township is a township in the Yangon Region of Burma . It is located northwest of the city of Yangon. The principal town and administrative seat is Hmawbi...
. A year later, in 1996, he was appointed to lead the new Triangle Regional Military Command in Kyaingtong, Shan State
Shan State
Shan State is a state of Burma . Shan State borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Burma in the west. Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers 155,800 km², almost a quarter of the total...
, serving this role for four years (1997-2001). In 1997, he became a member of the State Peace and Development Council
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
and was appointed as Secretary-2 in 2003. He was also promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General that year.
After Khin Nyunt
Khin Nyunt
General Khin Nyunt is an officer and politician in Myanmar. Khin Nyunt is of Burmese Chinese descent. He held the office of Chief of Intelligence and was Prime Minister from 25 August 2003 until 18 October 2004. He is married to Khin Win Shwe, a medical doctor, and father to a daughter, Thin Le Le...
was deposed in 2004, Thein Sein was promoted to Secretary-1.
Prime Minister
Thein Sein was appointed in April 2007 by the nation's ruling military junta as interim prime minister, replacing Soe WinSoe Win
General Soe Win was the Prime Minister of Burma and Secretary-1 of the State Peace and Development Council from 2004 to 2007. He was known by Burmese dissident groups as "the butcher of Depayin" for his role as mastermind of the 2003 Depayin Massacre, in which 70 National League for Democracy...
, who was undergoing medical treatment for leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. Thein Sein was formally appointed as Soe Win's permanent successor on 24 October 2007 after Soe Win's death on 12 October 2007.
Sein held the position of first secretary in the ruling State Peace and Development Council
State Peace and Development Council
The State Peace and Development Council was the official name of the military regime of Burma , which seized power in 1988. On 30 March 2011, Senior General Than Shwe signed a decree to officially dissolve the Council....
junta
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
. He was the country's fourth-highest ranking general, and also served as the chairman of the government-sponsored National Convention Convening Commission. Thein Sein carried out high-level negotiations with Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
In 2007, sometime after his official appointment as prime minister, he was promoted to the rank of General from Lieutenant General. On his first official visit outside Myanmar as prime minister, Thein Sein carried out high-level negotiations with Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Cambodia.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis , was a strong tropical cyclone that caused the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Burma. The cyclone made landfall in Burma on Friday, May 2, 2008, causing catastrophic destruction and at least 138,000 fatalities...
in May 2008, he led the National Disaster Preparedness Central Committee as chairman and was criticized for the government's systematic blocking of relief efforts.
Presidency
On 29 April 2010, he retired from the military, along with 22 other military officials, to lead the Union Solidarity and Development PartyUnion Solidarity and Development Party
The Union Solidarity and Development Party , which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and...
as a civilian. During the 2010 general election
Burmese general election, 2010
A general election was held in Burma on 2010, in accordance with the new constitution which was approved in a referendum held in...
, he was head of the Union Solidarity and Development Party
Union Solidarity and Development Party
The Union Solidarity and Development Party , which was registered on 2 June 2010 by the Union Election Commission as a political party, is the successor to the Burmese government's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. It is headed by Burmese President Thein Sein and...
, which contested in a controversial elections and won the overwhelming majority of seats in the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is the national-level bicameral legislature of Myanmar established by the 2008 National Constitution...
. Thein Sein ran against National Unity Party
National Unity Party (Burma)
The National Unity Party is a political party in Burma . It was formed by the military junta as well as members of the Burma Socialist Programme Party to take part in the general election of May 27, 1990. The party was defeated by the National League for Democracy. NUP's headquarters are in Bahan...
candidate Kyaw Aye during the election, contesting a Pyithu Hluttaw
Pyithu Hluttaw
The Pyithu Hluttaw is the lower house of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, the bicameral legislature of Burma . It consists of 440 members of which 330 are directly elected and 110 appointed by the Myanmar Armed Forces. The last elections to the Pyithu Hluttaw were held in November 2010...
seat to represent the constituents of Naypyidaw Union Territory
Naypyidaw Union Territory
Naypyidaw Union Territory is a administrative division in central Burma . The Union Territory encompasses the administrative capital of Burma, Naypyidaw.-Townships:The Naypyidaw Union Territory consists of the following townships:...
's Zabu Thiri Township. He purportedly won 91.2% of the votes (65,620).
On 4 February 2011, Sein was elected by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
The Pyidaungsu Hluttaw is the national-level bicameral legislature of Myanmar established by the 2008 National Constitution...
's Presidential Electoral College as the next president of Myanmar
President of Burma
The President of Burma is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and leads the executive branch of the Burmese government, and heads the Cabinet of Burma. The president is elected by members of parliament, not by the general population. The Presidential...
; he is officially the first civilian President the country has seen in almost 50 years. Tin Aung Myint Oo
Tin Aung Myint Oo
General Thihathura Tin Aung Myint Oo is one of the Vice Presidents of Myanmar. He is also chairman of Burmese Trade Council, having been appointed in November 2007 by Than Shwe, in response to Saffron Revolution demonstrations in October of that year, and Minister of Military Affairs.He graduated...
and Sai Mauk Kham
Sai Mauk Kham
Dr Sai Mauk Kham is an ethnic Shan politician and one of the two Vice Presidents of Myanmar. He was elected as Second Vice President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 4 February 2011, after defeating Aye Maung of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party, by receiving 84% of the votes ...
were named as the new vice-presidents.
Sein was sworn in on 30 March 2011 alongside the two vice presidents and the newly elected parliament. In the first month of his presidency, he sought the support of ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan
Surin Pitsuwan
Surin Pitsuwan is a longtime Thai politician. He was born in Nakhon Si Thammarat, into an assimilated Thai family of Malay descent.-Early life:...
to support Burma's bid to chair the ASEAN Summit
ASEAN Summit
The ASEAN Summit is an annual meeting held by the member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in relation to economic, and cultural development of Southeast Asian countries....
in 2014. As of July 2011, the government has formed a planning committee led by foreign affairs minister Wunna Maung Lwin
Wunna Maung Lwin
Wunna Maung Lwin is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar. He joined the diplomatic service in 1999, after a long career in the Myanmar Armed Forces. He graduated from the 16th intake of the Defence Services Academy in 1971.-References:...
.
Thein Sein has been considered a moderate and has not been opposed to engaging with Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
; he had a high-profile meeting with her in Naypyidaw on 19 August 2011.
On 17 August 2011, he was quoted by the state newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar as saying:
Various news sources intrepreted his suggestion as an invitation for overseas Burmese citizens to return to their country of origin and help rebuild the Burmese economy.
He suffers from heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
and uses a pacemaker
Pacemaker
An artificial pacemaker is a medical device that uses electrical impulses to regulate the beating of the heart.Pacemaker may also refer to:-Medicine:...
.