Nay Shwe Thway Aung (Burmese: နေရွှေသွေးအောင်; born 22 May 1991), also known as Phoe La Pyae (Burmese: ဖိုးလပြည့်; lit. 'Full Moon'), is a Burmese public figure and business tycoon,^[1] who is the grandson of Senior General Than Shwe, Myanmar's dictator and former head of a military junta. He is one of the country's top business tycoons who provide political and financial support to Myanmar's ruling regime and military government.^[2][3][4][5]

Early life and family

Nay Shwe Thway Aung was born on 22 May 1991 in Yangon, Myanmar,^[6] as the sole son of Nay Soe Maung, an army doctor, and his wife Kyi Kyi Shwe, a daughter of Than Shwe. He attended high school at Practising School Yangon Institute of Education and enrolled in West Yangon Technological University.^[7][8]

Business interests

Nay Shwe Thway Aung is a major broker between regime officials and business leaders.^[9] Earning a notorious reputation within the ruling family, he has been accused of directing military officers, who serve as his assistants, to carry out attacks on business rivals. Even top generals are said to approach him with caution, wary of displeasing him.^[10] As per business sources in Myanmar, numerous high-ranking generals and prominent businessmen have advised their children to steer clear of any potential conflicts with Nay Shwe Thway Aung.

Nay Shwe Thway Aung faces allegations of utilizing his grandfather's influence to profit, assisting businesses in the retrieval of unlawfully imported goods, including vehicles confiscated by customs officials at different seaports. He has engaged in multiple business disputes with the offspring of sons of high-ranking generals, such as Aung Thet Mann, and Toe Naing Mann. However, they always have to concede to Nay Shwe Thway Aung eventually.

He also has close ties to key figures such as business tycoon Zaw Zaw. Through their relationships, Zaw Zaw has won concessions and import licenses, including most of the country's car and motorcycle import licenses, as well as import and distribution licenses for fuel.^[11] Knowing Nay Shwe Thway Aung's interest in football, Zaw Zaw hired him to play for his team, Delta United, a professional soccer club in the Myanmar Football National League.^[12] During an exhibition match in 2007, attended by Japanese football star Hidetoshi Nakata, Nay Shwe Thway Aung managed to convince the national team coaches to let him participate, despite his limited experience and skills in football.^[13]

He is also a member of the Lamborghini Club in Lion City. According to business sources in Yangon, Nay Shwe Thway Aung acquired a new Mercedes-Benz from a warehouse owned by the military-controlled Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings. He reportedly paid only 10 million kyat (US$11,600) for a luxury vehicle valued at least 200 million kyat ($230,000).^[10]

Political ambitions

According to The Irrawaddy, several military officers dislike him because he has assumed a high rank within Myanmar's military circles, despite never having served in the army. The military elite also expressed displeasure that he was permitted to sit in the front row beside his grandfather at official photoshoots.^[11]

Nay Shwe Thway Aung is known for his close relationship with his grandfather, frequently accompanying him on state visits. He frequently features in Myanmar's state-run media, often appearing alongside his dictator-grandfather during state ceremonies and diplomatic tours of inspection across the country. In September 2010, he joined Than Shwe on a high-profile trip to China.^[14][15]

In 2010, Nay Shwe Thway Aung ran the Yadanabon Cyber City, Myanmar's Silicon Valley, and the government's Internet control center.^[13][16][17]

He was believed to be in line for succession, poised to inherit leadership from his grandfather, Than Shwe, within Myanmar's government. However, on his 20th birthday, Nay Shwe Thway Aung declared, "I will not succeed my grandfather, Than Shwe."^{[18][19][20][21]} In 2011, Than Shwe officially stepped down as head of state in favour of his hand-picked successor, Thein Sein, to President of Burma.

On December 4, 2015, Nay Shwe Thway Aung and his grandfather, Than Shwe, held a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi. During the meeting, Nay Shwe Thway Aung pledged his support to Aung San Suu Kyi, expressing his commitment to back her efforts for the development of the country.^{[22][23][24][25][26]}

On October 22, 2016, Nay Shwe Thway Aung participated in a state-level meeting, representing one of the top-listed taxpayers. The meeting involved discussions between State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and 158 of the country's leading taxpayers and influential tycoons.^[27]

In the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, Nay Shwe Thway Aung adopted a low profile. He faced social boycotts and became a target of the social punishment movement due to his association with the former junta family. As a result, he experienced a decline in popularity, losing hundreds of thousands of fans that he had before the coup.^[28]

Music career

As a devoted fan of Enrique Iglesias, Nay Shwe Thway Aung has created music videos and performed cover songs dedicated to the renowned artist.^[29] On 8 November 2018, he released a cover song of "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" on his Facebook, which racked up one million views within 24 hours. On 27 December 2018, he released a cover of Enrique Iglesias's "Hero" on his Facebook page. In this cover, he combined Burmese lyrics with the song. He has spent tens of thousands of dollars recreating Enrique Iglesias where he literally burns genuine hundred-dollar bills.^[30] In 2019, Nay Shwe Thway Aung had a private meeting with Enrique Iglesias.

He performed in the Miss Universe Myanmar 2019.^[31][32]

Controversies and allegations

While his grandfather was in power, Nay Shwe Thway Aung emerged as a central figure in various controversies and scandals, consistently making headlines in the media for all the wrong reasons. However, in 2017, after his comeback to public life, he denied all allegations and posted on his Facebook account, stating that the accusations tarnishing his reputation in the past were untrue. He asserted that it was a result of political revenge against him, with the pro-democracy media attempting to damage his image at the time.

As a teenager, he faced accusations of kidnapping an actress Wutt Hmone Shwe Yi and held her in his house for several days. In October 2008, reports circulated that he had utilized his influence to secure enrollment for his girlfriend, model Nay Chi Lin Let, at the Institute of Medicine.^[33] He allegedly has influence over an unruly gang called Sin Zway (Elephant Tusk).

In 2009, he found himself entangled in a drug scandal in Yangon. Two individuals connected to him, business tycoon Maung Weik and Aung Zaw Ye Myint, the son of Lieutenant General Ye Myint, were subsequently arrested.^[34]

According to a leaked US diplomatic cable in January 2009, Nay Shwe Thway Aung reportedly encouraged his grandfather to make a US $1 billion bid to acquire the Manchester United football club. Although Than Shwe was nearly persuaded to proceed with the purchase, the plan was ultimately abandoned. This decision stemmed from the fact that, during that time, Than Shwe's regime faced intense criticism from the United Nations for its "unacceptably slow" response to Cyclone Nargis. Later, he denied the reports and stated that he is a hardcore fan of Chelsea F.C., expressing no interest in the acquisition of Manchester United.^[35][36]

Nay Shwe Thway Aung reportedly ordered the demolition of Seven Corners, a café in Yangon, after a disagreement. Whether a personal feud or a business dispute was the cause of the incident has fueled speculation. The café's owners are identified as Capt. Tay Zar Saw Oo, the son of Junta Secretary 1 Gen. Tin Aung Myint Oo, and Aung Soe Tha, the son of Minister of National Planning and Economic Development Soe Tha. In the alleged assault at the café, Nay Shwe Thway Aung is said to have berated the owners, expressing his disapproval of government ministers' sons conducting business in a state-owned building, citing the café's location within university grounds.^[2]

According to The Irrawaddy, in December 2010, he gave his personal assistants the order to physically assault Win Htwe Hlaing, a professional golfer and the son of former Maj-Gen Win Hlaing, over business disagreements. The conflict arose when Win Htwe Hlaing attempted to take control of a real estate deal that Nay Shwe Thway Aung had previously negotiated. Instead of complying with Nay Shwe Thway Aung's request, conveyed through a friend, to step back from the reserved land, Win Htwe Hlaing, responded indifferently, expressing no concern for Nay Shwe Thway's identity. Reportedly angered by this response, the junta chief's grandson ordered his assistants, army officers holding the ranks of major and captain, to physically assault Win Htwe Hlaing. Consequently, Win Htwe Hlaing sustained injuries to his face during the altercation.^[37]

Due to published coverage accusing him of an attack, The Sunlight Journal, which Moe Hein founded, allegedly underwent a raid by a group backed by him in October 2013. Moe Hein stated that Nay Shwe Thway Aung did not enter the premises during the raid, but claimed that 14 computers and copies of the newspaper were taken during the incident.^[38]

In 2013, he made headlines for slapping a traffic police officer who failed to adequately clear traffic for him at a busy intersection. Activist Htin Kyaw filed a lawsuit on behalf of the victim against Nay Shwe Thway Aung at Kamayut police station. Although his complaint was accepted, he was not permitted to initiate a legal case. Htin Kyaw argued that slapping uniformed government service personnel on duty is deemed a challenge to the rule of law in the country.^[39][40]

References

External links

• Nay Shwe Thway Aung on Facebook
• Partial List of Cronies Who Provide Political and Financial Support for Burma’s Ruling Regime: Nay Shwe Thway Aung No.28