Thein Sein
Who was Thein Sein?
Former military general who served as Myanmar's President from 2011-2016, overseeing the country's transition from military rule to civilian government.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Thein Sein (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Thein Sein was born on April 20, 1945, in Kyonku, Myanmar, and became an important political figure in his country's recent history. After getting his military education at the Defence Services Academy, he steadily climbed the ranks of the Burmese armed forces, eventually becoming a general. His military career set the stage for a political path that led him to hold the highest government positions during a time of significant national change. He is married to Khin Khin Win.
Before Fame
Thein Sein grew up in Kyonku during a time when Myanmar, then called Burma, was dealing with the unstable years after gaining independence from British rule in 1948. The country went through several political changes, leading to General Ne Win's military coup in 1962, which brought about decades of military rule. This was the setting in which Thein Sein attended the Defence Services Academy, the main school for training Myanmar's military officers, and started his rise in the armed forces.
Key Achievements
- Served as the eighth President of Myanmar from 2011 to 2016, overseeing the country's transition from direct military rule to a quasi-civilian government.
- Oversaw the release of political prisoners and the reinstatement of the National League for Democracy to participate in elections.
- Suspended the Myitsone Dam hydropower project, signaling a government responsiveness to public opinion unprecedented in recent Burmese history.
- Presided over improved diplomatic relations with the United States and other Western nations, contributing to a partial easing of international sanctions on Myanmar.
- Led Myanmar during its tenure as ASEAN chair in 2014, raising the country's regional and international profile.
Did You Know?
- 01.Thein Sein suspended the Myitsone Dam project in 2011, a Chinese-backed hydropower scheme worth approximately 3.6 billion USD, citing the will of the people — an unusually populist justification for a leader with military roots.
- 02.He received an honorary doctorate from Northwest A&F University in China in 2012, during a period when Myanmar was simultaneously improving ties with Western nations and managing its long-standing relationship with Beijing.
- 03.His government oversaw Myanmar's role as ASEAN chair in 2014, the first time the country held the position, a milestone that reflected the international community's cautious re-engagement with Naypyidaw.
- 04.Thein Sein was considered a reformist by many analysts despite having been a senior member of the State Peace and Development Council, the military junta that had ruled Myanmar for decades.
- 05.He was born in Kyonku, a small town, making his rise to the presidency a notable example of provincial origins within Myanmar's highly centralized military and political establishment.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| honorary doctor of the Northwest A&F University | 2012 | — |