Thein Sein
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| Name | Thein Sein |
| Office | President of Myanmar |
| Term start | 30 March 2011 |
| Term end | 30 March 2016 |
| Predecessor | Than Shwe (as head of state) |
| Successor | Htin Kyaw |
| Birth date | 20 April 1945 |
| Birth place | Innma Village, Kyunhla Township, Sagaing Region, British Burma |
| Party | Union Solidarity and Development Party |
| Spouse | Khin Khin Win |
| Alma mater | Defense Services Academy (Myanmar) |
Thein Sein was a Burmese politician and former military officer who served as President of Myanmar from 2011 to 2016. His administration presided over a series of political and economic reforms that reshaped relations with United States, European Union, and ASEAN, while facing criticism from United Nations bodies and human rights organizations. A former brigadier general, he transitioned from a role in the State Peace and Development Council to lead the Union Solidarity and Development Party and later the civilian presidency, navigating tensions between reformers and hardliners.
Early life and education
Born in Sagaing Region in 1945, he attended local schools in Kyunhla Township before entering the Defence Services Academy (Myanmar), where he graduated with the 10th intake alongside contemporaries who later became influential in the Tatmadaw. His classmates included officers who later joined institutions such as the Ministry of Defence (Myanmar) and the Union Revolutionary Council. During his formative years he encountered ideologies tied to Burmese Way to Socialism and nationalist currents linked to figures like General Ne Win. His early milieu connected him to provincial administrations in Sagaing Division and to military districts that reported to commands in Mandalay and Yangon.
Military career
Commissioned into the Tatmadaw after graduation from the Defence Services Academy, he served in successive postings that included command roles in regional military units and staff appointments within the Bureau of Special Operations. He was promoted through ranks to brigadier general and participated in operations related to internal armed conflicts involving ethnic armed organizations such as the Kachin Independence Army, Karen National Union, and Shan State Army. His military tenure overlapped with campaigns ordered by the State Law and Order Restoration Council and the later State Peace and Development Council, institutions headed by figures like Than Shwe and Maung Aye. He also engaged with military logistics networks that interfaced with ministries including the Ministry of Defence (Myanmar) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (Myanmar).
Political rise and party leadership
Transitioning from uniform to politics, he joined the Union Solidarity and Development Association which evolved into the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), assuming leadership positions as the party sought to maintain influence after the 2008 2008 Constitution. He served as Prime Minister in the quasi-civilian government formed in 2007–2010, working alongside cabinet members linked to ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Myanmar), Ministry of Finance and Planning (Myanmar), and Ministry of Home Affairs (Myanmar). His ascension reflected maneuvers by senior officials like Than Shwe and engagement with technocrats who had ties to the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and investors from China and Thailand. Within the USDP he contended with party figures including Shwe Mann and Aung Min as the party prepared for the 2010 general election overseen by the Union Election Commission (Myanmar).
Presidency (2011–2016)
In March 2011 he assumed the presidency after the USDP-dominated legislature elected him, replacing the military junta leadership that had ruled since 1988 under Than Shwe. His cabinet included ministers previously associated with the State Peace and Development Council and newly appointed civilian technocrats connected to institutions such as the Central Bank of Myanmar and the Ministry of Commerce (Myanmar). During his term he hosted visits by heads of state from United States and United Kingdom officials, receiving envoys from Barack Obama and David Cameron-era delegations while engaging with regional leaders in ASEAN summits alongside presidents and prime ministers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Domestically, his administration implemented reforms that led to a partial liberalization of media regulation overseen by bodies like the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division and legal changes influenced by the Attorney General's Office (Myanmar).
Economic and social policies
His government pursued macroeconomic measures to attract foreign direct investment from countries including China, Japan, South Korea, India, and Singapore and international institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Reforms touched on trade regimes administered by the Ministry of Commerce (Myanmar), financial sector changes involving the Central Bank of Myanmar, and infrastructure projects with firms from China Communications Construction Company and consortia linked to India and Thailand. Social policy shifts involved gradual opening of constraints on civil society organizations registered with the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement (Myanmar), and initiatives affecting energy development overseen by the Ministry of Electricity and Energy (Myanmar), including pipelines tied to projects with China National Petroleum Corporation and PetroChina.
Human rights and international relations
His presidency corresponded with thawing ties to Western governments, resulting in eased sanctions by the European Union, United States Department of State, and other partners following dialogues with envoys from United Nations special rapporteurs and delegations led by figures such as Samantha Power and diplomats from Norway and Canada. Simultaneously, his tenure faced scrutiny over conflicts in Rakhine State involving the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army and communal violence affecting communities of Rohingya and Rakhine populations, prompting investigations from bodies including the United Nations Human Rights Council and reports by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. His government engaged with regional mechanisms such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and bilateral interlocutors from China and India on security and border management, while legal reforms intersected with advocacy by organizations like the International Commission of Jurists.
Post-presidency activities and legacy
After leaving office in 2016 he maintained a presence within the USDP and remained influential among retired officers in networks connected to the Tatmadaw and political figures including Shwe Mann and Min Aung Hlaing. His legacy is debated by policymakers at institutions like the European Union External Action Service and think tanks such as the International Crisis Group, with commentators from The Economist and Asia Times weighing reforms against ongoing humanitarian and security challenges in areas such as Kachin State and Shan State. He has been cited in analyses by scholars at universities including Harvard University, Columbia University, and Australian National University studying transitions in Southeast Asia, and his tenure remains a reference point in discussions about civil–military relations, regional diplomacy in ASEAN, and the trajectory of Myanmar’s political and economic reform.
Category:Presidents of Myanmar