Thein Sein

Who is Thein Sein?

Thein Sein is a Burmese politician and former military commander who has been President of Burma since March 2011. He was the Prime Minister from 2007 until 2011 and considered by some as a moderate and reformist in the post-junta government. His new 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. The striking developments that followed included Myanmar’s appointment to chair ASEAN in 2014, improved relations with the US, the reinstatement of major opposition party National League for Democracy in the by-election held on 1 April 2012.