thein sein previous offices
(AFP / Myanmar News Agency). The first of a series of presidential amnesties under Thein Sein’s watch takes place. Elections in November 2010 led to a peaceful transition from sixty years of military rule to a quasi-civilian government headed by former President Thein Sein. Thein Sein is sworn in as president, replacing Senior General Than Shwe who was previously chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, which was disbanded. The best performing ethnic parties in the election are the Arakan National Party and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy. Scores of people are killed and tens of thousands displaced, most of them Rohingya confined to grim camps with limited access to healthcare, jobs or education. Ethnic tensions in one of the nation’s least developed regions burst into violence between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in the first of a series of outbreaks over several months. And if a Myanmar citizen in a foreign country who committed crimes applies for returning home to serve terms, we will show our benevolent attitude in dealing with his case. It is the only U.S.-based organization enshrined in the ASEAN charter. His parents were landless farmers, and his father made a living carrying cargo at the river jetty and weaving bamboo mats. (Christophe Archambault / AFP). [1], His government undertook a series of political reforms including some deregulation of the country's censored media, releasing many political prisoners and halting the country's controversial large Chinese-led hydro-power project. (AFP). Thein Sein was sworn into office in March 2011, officially launching a nominally civilian government to replace almost 50 years of military rule. In an historic speech at Yangon University’s Convocation Hall, Obama tells his audience there will be challenges ahead, and those who resist change, but that “something is happening in this country that cannot be reversed”. Hillary Clinton becomes the first US Secretary of State to visit Myanmar in more than 50 years. Lex Rieffel examines Myanmar's evolving government since President Thein Sein took office in March 2011. Many of the 11 ministers appointed served in the administration of former President Thein Sein from 2011 to 2016 — a time when foreign investment flowed into a country that was becoming a fledgling democracy. Thein Sein, 67, took office in March 2011, after the country's first election in 20 years in November 2010. It’s a free weekly round-up featuring the most important events shaping Myanmar, This post is also available in: Thein Sein. Myanmar’s previous president U Thein Sein, who served from 2011 to 2016, never signed off on a single execution – a trend continued by former NLD president U Htin Kyaw and incumbent U Win Myint, who become president in 2018 after the former’s resignation. The move follows tensions between Thein Sein and Shwe Mann, whose factional allies are also purged from the party. [16][17][18] In the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, he led the National Disaster Preparedness Central Committee as chairman and was criticised for the government's systematic blocking of relief efforts. Thein Sein is sworn in as president, replacing Senior General Than Shwe who was previously chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, which was disbanded. Almost nine years have passed since the Thein Sein administration unilaterally announced the suspension of construction work on the Myitsone dam in September 2011. The president set out the timetable in a letter to parliament yesterday. [20], On 4 February 2011, he was elected by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw's Presidential Electoral College as the next President of Myanmar, becoming the country's first non-interim civilian president in 49 years. Stay on top of Myanmar current affairs with our Daily Briefing and Media Monitor newsletters, Our fortnightly magazine is available in print, digital, or a combination beginning at $80 a year, Sign up for our Frontier Fridays newsletter. In a symbolic gesture, Obama refers to the country as Myanmar for the first time. [3][5] Throughout Thein Sein's four-decade long military career, he was considered a bureaucrat, not a combat soldier. In a fairly low-key ceremony, Thein Sein hands the reins of power to Htin Kyaw. [7], Thein Sein was appointed in April 2007 by the nation's ruling military junta[9] as interim prime minister, replacing Soe Win, who was undergoing medical treatment for leukaemia. He wrote that former President U Thein Sein and Minister U Aung Min fixed November 8 for the election, but they tried unsuccessfully to change the date later. He previously served as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2011, and is considered by many in and outside Myanmar as a moderate and reformist in the post-junta government. A group of men read newspapers in Yangon. He purportedly won 91.2% of the votes (65,620). [25], Some have considered Thein Sein as a moderate because he was willing to engage with Aung San Suu Kyi; he had a high-profile meeting with her in Naypyidaw on 19 August 2011. Fortunately, the result was honored, allowing the winning party, the NLD, to form Myanmar’s first civilian government since 1962, ending 53 years of absolute and semi-military dictatorship. Thein Sein, who was the fourth-ranking general and the prime minister, assumed the presidency. Because of mounting criticism over his dual role, Thein Sein handed over the chairman position of party to Shwe Mann on 1 May 2013. On the same day, General Min Aung Hlaing becomes Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw. President: Thein Sein Thein Sein was sworn into office in March 2011, officially launching a nominally civilian government to replace almost 50 years of military rule. Kachin Independence Army soldiers stand guard as they secure an area on Hka Ya mountain in Kachin State on January 20, 2013. For example, under the previous government, President Thein Sein released the executive order to stop the war in Kachin State and it did have impact on reducing military operations there. Tin Aung Myint Oo and Sai Mauk Kham were named as the new vice-presidents. The early delivery of vaccines is one of the many boons of the country’s geopolitics, but to really take advantage, Myanmar must bury the legacy of its isolationist past. Heavy fighting breaks out between the Tatmadaw and the Kachin Independence Army, ending a 17-year truce. Thein Sein as President may still be influenced He was the country's fourth-highest ranking general,[13] and also served as the chairman of the government-sponsored National Convention Convening Commission. Thousands are displaced and martial law is declared on February 17. Thein Sein graduated from the 9th intake of the Defence Services Academy with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968, becoming a second lieutenant afterward. Six people were killed in Yangon’s North Okkalapa Township and at least 18 are in a critical condition after security forces opened fire with live rounds, while deaths were also reported in Mandalay, Monywa and Myingyan. Fighting has continued between the two forces throughout Thein Sein’s term, and the KIA was one of the most high-profile ethnic armed groups not to sign the national ceasefire agreement with the government in October 2015. Thein Sein’s term was not without controversy, though, and as he handed power to U Htin Kyaw, political prisoners still languish in jail, ethnic conflict persists in parts of the country and a genuinely national ceasefire remains elusive. [34][35][36], A day after Thein Sein left office, the Democratic Voices of Burma published a news article that the ex-president would be ordaining as a monk on 1 April 2016 for a few days. A move by the NLD to lower the threshold for amending the 2008 Constitution is lost in parliament despite attracting the support of a majority of MPs. The NLD announces that little-known party stalwart U Htin Kyaw, 69, will be its candidate for president, ending months of speculation. Elections in November 2010 led to a peaceful transition from sixty years of military rule to a quasi-civilian government headed by former President Thein Sein. “This opens the way for [Thein Sein… Also, a month before the election, U Thein Sein and the party chair received projections from party headquarters in Nay Pyi Taw that the USDP would win the election with 260 seats. Thein Sein becomes the first Myanmar head of state to visit the United States since Ne Win in 1966. (AFP: Hoan Dinh Nam)In September last year, the 67-year-old former general promised the UN … He previously served as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2011, and is considered by many in and outside Myanmar as a moderate and reformist in the post-junta government. He previously served as Prime Minister from 2007 to 2011, and is considered by many in and outside Myanmar as a moderate and reformist in the post-junta government. In 1995, he was recruited as the commander of Yangon Division's Military Operations Command 4 in Hmawbi. In a separate report, Reuters cited an anonymous senior President’s Office official as saying the president would not run in Burma’s general election “because of his health condition.” At the end of his term about 100 political prisoners remained in jail and more than 400 were awaiting trial, rights groups said. It is lifted nine months later, on November 17. National League for Democracy candidate Daw Phyu Phyu Thin speaks during a Yangon rally on March 30, 2012. As a result, the countdown to Thein Sein’s departure from office began with the peace process far from resolved. However, the political, economic and social reforms that he introduced surprised even the most optimistic observers. By-elections are held in 45 electorates and the NLD wins 43 of the 44 seats it contests. To make any amendments a 75% vote is required. On October 31st he convened a meeting of 14 senior figures, including Miss Suu … The announcement is a shock for those who viewed the military as being overly reliant on Beijing. The Kayin State Border Guard Force has come under intense pressure from the Tatmadaw over its extensive, controversial business interests and there’s concern the ultimatum could trigger fresh hostilities in one of the country’s most war-torn areas. The government officially refers to the Rohingya as “Bengalis” because it believes they are illegal migrants from Bangladesh, though many have lived in Rakhine for generations. “This is a [internal] party matter,” he said. [24] In his presidency, Myanmar took the ASEAN chairmanship in 2014. The Thein Sein administration took office in March 2011 as a result of the election. He also expresses concern about continued human rights violations. More than 100 people are arrested, many of whom remain on trial in drawn-own legal proceedings. 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 Zabuthiri Township. [32] This is in direct contradiction to the 2008 Constitution of Myanmar, which states:[33]. [10][11], In 2007, sometime after his official appointment as prime minister, he was promoted to the rank of general from lieutenant general. Frontier looks back over key events during the term of President U Thein Sein, an unassuming former general whose reforms laid the foundation for a transformed Myanmar. [22], In the first month of his presidency, he sought the support of ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan to support Myanmar's bid to chair the ASEAN Summit in 2014. Both Thein Sein, whose five-year term ends next March, and Shwe Mann are former generals. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/thein-sein-5721.php delivered by Myanmar’s then-President U Thein Sein in early January 2015. [26] On 17 August 2011, he was quoted by the state newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar as saying:[27].mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. Pyithu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann is dramatically ousted as chairman of the Union Solidarity and Development Party at a midnight meeting in Nay Pyi Taw. Residents accuse outsiders of inflaming the violence that ends after Thein Sein declares a state of emergency. (Soe Than Win / AFP). At the time, t… ASEAN summit was held in Naypyidaw in the same year. President Thein Sein started a political track by appointing a former military colleague, Aung Min, to engage with these groups. Aung San Suu Kyi and visiting Hillary Clinton tour the grounds of Suu Kyi’s Yangon residence on December 2, 2011. According to the DVB, a 'spokesperson close to the President' refused to disclose where he would be ordained, but it would be in a "small, peaceful town". In dealing with President Thein Sein, the international community should constantly bear in mind his leading role and responsibility for human rights abuses committed by the previous dictatorship. Think Again", "Burma organizes committee to host Asean Summit", "Aung San Suu Kyi meets Burma's president Thein Sein", "Burmese President Invites Return of Citizens Abroad", "UN refugee chief rejects call to resettle Rohingya", http://www.voanews.com/content/burma-sectarian-violence-not-about-race-or-religion/1483768.html, "President of Myanmar Reshuffles His Cabinet", "President U Thein Sein re-elected as Myanmar's ruling party leader", "Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar", "Thein Sein resigns as chairman of Burma's ruling party", "Thein Sein Still a USDP Leader, May Be Party's 2015 Presidential Pick: Lawmaker", "Ex-president Thein Sein to ordain as monk: report- DVB Multimedia Group", "Myanmar Ex-president Mr. U Thein Sein... - Bhikkhu Bhaddiya | Facebook", "Burma's Former President Thein Sein Joins Monkhood", "Burmese PM's Daughter Camera Shy on Her Wedding Day", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Thein_Sein&oldid=1009786670, Recipients of the Order of the Union of Myanmar, Union Solidarity and Development Party politicians, Articles containing Burmese-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2013, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 2 March 2021, at 08:33. According to the constitution, he was technically barred from taking part in party activities during his term of office. Thein Sein is credited with putting Myanmar on the path to democracy. The former administration under ex-President U Thein Sein invited Burmese expatriates back to join state-building efforts after he assumed office in 2011. The US-ASEAN Business Council (also known as "US-ABC" or "USABC") is a leading advocacy group that aims to foster economic growth and trade ties between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s ten member countries. Although the military claims that Thein Sein is Myanmar’s first democratically-elected president in 50 years, few international observers are convinced. The military MPs who hold 25 percent of the seats in parliament have an effective veto over charter change because it requires more than 75 percent support. (Soe Than Win / AFP). Suu Kyi is elected to parliament 22 years after the NLD’s stolen victory in the 1990 election, winning the seat of Kawhmu, southwest of Yangon, where an exuberant crowd celebrates. [6][7] He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general that year. The previous administration had made it very clear that it does not want the Constitution to be changed. "[30], On 27 August 2012, Thein Sein announced a major cabinet reshuffle of 9 ministers and 15 deputy ministers, to consolidate the authority of his office by removing hardliner ministers and replacing them with political allies. On the same day, General Min Aung Hlaing becomes Commander-in-Chief of the Tatmadaw. Few details emerge about what was discussed at the meeting, which is regarded as an indication that the military may be willing to reform. We will make reviews to make sure that Myanmar [Burmese] citizens living abroad for some reasons can return home if they have not committed any crimes. A long political transition begins that includes a surprise meeting between Suu Kyi and former dictator U Than Shwe, and high-level negotiations between the NLD and the Tatmadaw. Thein Sein is a Burmese politician and retired general in the Myanmar Army who served as the 8th President of Myanmar from 2011 to 2016. Thein Sein’s presidency has drawn mixed reviews, with most observers acknowledging its dramatic democratic reforms, while many criticise its continued repression, outbreaks of … Communal violence also erupts in Lashio in May 2013 and Mandalay in July 2014. Burma’s President Thein Sein told a visiting delegation from the United Nation’s High Commissioner for Refugees that the government will not recognize the Rohingya and are considering handing over the ethnic group to the UNHCR, reported a government website today.. The Tatmadaw names former Yangon Region Chief Minister U Myint Swe as its vice-presidential candidate. [28], In 2012, Thein Sein proposed that the minority Rohingya ethnic group, which had lived in Burma for hundreds of years, be "resettled" abroad, a proposal the United Nations was quick to object to. English. US President Barack Obama, Thein Sein and other leaders onstage at the ASEAN Summit in Nay Pyi Taw on November 13, 2014. Four journalists and the chief executive of the now-defunct Unity Journal are sentenced to 10 years in jail with hard labour for breaching the 1923 Official Secrets Act. [21] He was sworn in on 30 March 2011 alongside the two vice-presidents and the newly elected parliament. The overall violations of human rights abuses in Burma are well known and widely documented. [2], Thein Sein was born in Kyonku, British Burma (now Myanmar), a small Irrawaddy delta village near Hainggyi Island in what is now Ngapudaw Township to Maung Phyo (father) and Khin Nyunt (mother). Student protestors halted by the authorities at Letpadan in Bago Region during a protest march from Mandalay to Yangon are violently dispersed by police in scenes that bring international condemnation. Given the Tatmadaw’s 25% bloc and the government’s 60% bloc in the National ... U Thein Sein then makes one of the most comprehensive policy statements in recent times on the economy: WASHINGTON, D.C. — Burmese President Thein Sein defended his government’s record on human rights issues before a live studio audience at Voice of America Sunday, the first day of his visit to the United States. [3] One of his daughter, Yin Thuzar Thein, who is married to a military captain, Han Win Aung. Thein Sein (Burmese: သိန်းစိန် [θéɪɴ sèɪɴ]; born 20 April 1945) is a Burmese politician and former military commander who has been President of Myanmar since March 2011, having been elected by the Assembly of the Union the previous month. Volume XX, Number 164 1st Waning of Tawthalin 1374 ME Monday, 1 October, 2012 NAY PYI TAW, 1 Oct—On the occasion of 63rd Anniversary of the Founding Day of the People’s Republic of China, which falls on 1 October 2012, U Thein Sein, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, has sent a message of felicitations (Christophe Archambault / AFP). “This is a reminder of a very unhappy past,” said Khin Zaw Win, director of the Tampadipa Institute, a Rangoon-based think tank which advises some Burmese lawmakers. The mood is noticeably cooler than Obama’s previous visit, because of setbacks in the reform process. Heavy fighting occurs between the Tatmadaw and the ethnic-Chinese Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army after it launches an offensive aimed at seizing control of the regional capital, Laukkai. Twenty-eight Burmese expatriates will be granted Burmese citizenship soon, said permanent secretary of the Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population U Myint Kyaing. In Rakhine State, though, the NLD government shows no moral responsibility nor compassion over the high number of civilian deaths in the continuing conflict. A decision over the future of the multi-billion dollar project is one of the big challenges facing the new government. Aung San Suu Kyi poses for a photo with President Thein Sein during their meeting at the presidential office in Nay Pyi Taw on August 19, 2011. Specifically, the text suggested that Myanmar might be surrendering the principle of non-alignment. Shwe Mann had enraged USDP hardliners by allowing parliament to debate NLD proposals to amend the constitution. [citation needed] He has said that the 2012 Rakhine State riots "has nothing to do with race or religion. The sentence, reduced on appeal to seven years’ jail, follows a report alleging that the Tatmadaw was making chemical weapons at a factory in Magway Region, a claim it denied. as was the practice in previous governments. France and other Western nations imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s previous military junta and avoided military-to-military contacts. 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). [23] As of July 2011, the government has formed a planning committee led by foreign affairs minister Wunna Maung Lwin. Under former President Thein Sein, the previous Government of Burma initiated a series of political and economic reforms which resulted in a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. [37], According to a Facebook post, he was ordained under Ashin Nandamalabhivamsa in a monastery in Pyin Oo Lwin under the monastic name U Santidhamma. [3][4] Thein Sein's father Maung Phyo became a Buddhist monk 10 years after his wife's death, and spent his remaining years as a monk.[3]. One of the biggest disappointments of Thein Sein’s administration was its failure to produce a peace agreement that included all of the country’s main armed ethnic groups. (Maro Verli / Frontier). [31], On 16 October 2012, Thein Sein was re-elected as the chairman of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) at the USDP's first party conference in Naypyidaw. Only one is an actual civilian. Thein Sein (Burmese: သိန်းစိန် [θéɪɴ sèɪɴ]; born 20 April 1945) is a Burmese politician and former military commander who has been President of Myanmar since March 2011, having been elected by the Assembly of the Union the previous month. During her visit, she meets Thein Sein and Suu Kyi and makes clear that the US is not yet ready to consider lifting sanctions. Groups that do not sign the truce include the Kachin Independence Army and the Shan State Army-North. [15] On his first official visit outside Myanmar as prime minister, Thein Sein carried out high-level negotiations with Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. A total of 14,600 prisoners are reported to have been released, of whom more than 2,000 are believed to have been jailed for political reasons. Thein Sein (Burmese: သိန်းစိန်; IPA: [θéɪɰ̃ sèɪɰ̃]; born 20 April 1944) is a Burmese politician and retired general in the Myanmar Army who served as the 8th President of Myanmar from 2011 to 2016. But now, in his answer to a local journalist’s question, Thein Sein has changed his previous message, refused to take any initiative, and passed the buck back to "the people." ", "One Year of Myanmar's Thein Sein Government: Background and Outlook of Reforms", "A Conversation with President U Thein Sein of Myanmar", Myanmar paramount leader not nominated for president: MPs, Work coordination meeting of National Convention Convening Commission, Work Committee and Management Committee held, Myanmar's prime minister visits Cambodia to garner support against sanctions, "People's parliament candidates in Zabuthiri constituency (Naypyitaw Union Territory)", Burma ex-Prime Minister Thein Sein named new president, "President sworn in, junta dissolved- DVB Multimedia Group", "Burma as Asean Chair in 2014? Thein Sein opens the 24th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the first such event to be hosted by Myanmar since it was admitted to the regional grouping in 1997. Under former President Thein Sein, the previous Government of Burma initiated a series of political and economic reforms which resulted in a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. Before the decision, weekly newspapers and other publications had to send all stories in advance to the Ministry of Information’s Press Scrutiny and Registration Division. Thein Sein was the junta's prime minister and a leading member of the previous military government. A “National Ceasefire Agreement” is signed by the government and eight armed ethnic groups. Thein Sein (Burmese: သိန်းစိန်; IPA: [θéɪɰ̃ sèɪɰ̃]; born 20 April 1944) is a Burmese politician and retired general in the Myanmar Army who served as the 8th President of Myanmar from 2011 to 2016. [14] Thein Sein carried out high-level negotiations with Bangladesh and Cambodia. Thein Sein, left, along with senior leaders attends a military parade marking the country’s 65th Armed Forces Day at a parade ground in Nay Pyi Taw on March 27, 2010. [5], On 29 April 2010, he retired from the military, along with 22 other military officials, to lead the Union Solidarity and Development Party as a civilian. [29] Thein Sein has also supported domestic policies that label Rohingya as "non-citizens". About 15 groups were involved in peace talks with the government and the so-called “national” agreement is criticised by the NLD and others for not being more inclusive. The following year, he studied at the Command and General Staff College in Kalaw, Shan State. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Council has offices in New … The National League for Democracy re-registers as a political party ahead of the by-elections due the following April. Security forces stage deadly crackdown, leaving at least 16 people dead, Battlefield by day, graveyard by night: one reporter’s view of the street protests, Police and protesters resume running battles in Yangon for fourth day, Security forces kill at least 16 in crackdown on peaceful protesters. [8] After Khin Nyunt was deposed and Soe Win became Prime Minister in 2004, he was promoted to Secretary-1 and promoted to General in late 2004. The couple have three daughters. While the country has focused heavily … 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. [31] Among the more prominent changes was the transfer of Kyaw Hsan from the post of Minister for Information to Minister of Cooperatives, and the appointment of Aung Min, Tin Naing Thein and Soe Thein, all former lieutenants under Thein Sein, to the posts of Minister of the President's Office. The developments that followed included Myanmar's appointment to chair ASEAN in 2014, improved relations with the US, the release of Aung San Suu Kyi – his 2015 general election rival – from house arrest, and the reinstatement of major opposition party National League for Democracy (NLD) in the by-election held on 1 April 2012. Tatmadaw soldiers patrol in Laukkai, the main city in the Kokang region, on February 16, 2015. To its credit, the Thein Sein government has sponsored and supported a series of workshops and conferences on a wide range of … Thein Sein was sworn into office in March 2011, officially launching a nominally civilian government to replace almost 50 years of military rule. The book also stated that he only ever met with Aung San Suu Kyi and other ministers at Nay Pyi Taw's Myat Taw Win Hotel where he stayed. Aung Min, with his flexible approach and maximalist mandate from the president and the military, was able to nail down ceasefires with … (AFP). [38][39], Thein Sein is married to Khin Khin Win. The central Myanmar trading town of Meiktila is convulsed by violence between its Buddhist and Muslim communities after an argument in a gold shop descends into bloodshed. He also served as a Lt-Gen in the army and the Minister for President Office in the reign of President U Thein Sein. ... government offices underwent a makeover. The continuing persecution of the Rohingya is one of the biggest black marks of Thein Sein’s tenure. Thein Sein’s ambitious program of economic and political reform has surprised the international community since he assumed office in March 2011. The government abolishes pre-publication censorship after almost 50 years. NCA and UPC-21CP Confusion Stories would be approved, cut or rejected. The NLD wins by a landslide in historic general elections, taking nearly 80 percent of the vote. Speaking at his monthly radio broadcast on 1 January, Thein Sein said the general election, scheduled for later this year, would provide a platform for Burmese politics to mature by allowing opposition parties a more active role through opening up dialogues with the government. A vote in the 664-member Pyidaungsu Hluttaw to lower the threshold to 70 percent is defeated, despite being supported by 388 MPs, or 66.55 percent of the 583 MPs at the joint sitting. [5], In 1997, he became a member of the State Peace and Development Council and was appointed as Secretary-2 in 2003. The move marked the start of a series of media sector reforms and paved the way for the first privately-owned daily newspapers, although few have survived in a highly saturated market. [10][11] He was formally appointed as Soe Win's permanent successor on 24 October 2007 after Soe Win's death on 12 October 2007. Following the President’s Office’s website, Myanmar seemed to have suddenly opted for what would be a significant shift in relation to its foreign policy principle. When he took office after the flawed 2010 general election, few expected the diminutive former general who had served as the junta’s prime minister to bring much change to a country that had been under the military’s harsh grip for almost five decades.