September 2005
Than Shwe’s Underemployed Daughters
According to Burma’s Foreign Ministry diplomatic list, three of Snr-Gen Than Shwe’s MOFA daughters—Khin Pyone Shwe, Aye Aye Thit Shwe and Kyi Kyi Shwe— form the core staff of the Foreign Languages Division of the Ministry’s Training, Research and Foreign Languages Department. But what can their duties be, now that Burma’s once active foreign affairs and diplomacy areas have been hijacked by men in uniform?
Sources in Rangoon say that since the military government doesn’t seem interested in talking to anyone nowadays, the Shwe sisters probably don’t have very demanding jobs, allowing them plenty of spare time to pursue their own business and spiritual interests.
Meanwhile, another of Than Shwe’s daughters, Thandar Shwe, appears to still be enjoying life as Second Secretary at Burma’s Embassy in Beijing. Her aborted recall to Rangoon in 2004 against her wishes and those of her dad is rumored to have been a factor precipitating former Foreign Minister Win Aung’s downfall.
Behind Every Great Man …
The hand of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s wife, Potjaman, is becoming increasingly evident in Bangkok’s corridors of power. She has always been known as a formidable lady, particularly in helping with her husband’s financial affairs. Thaksin himself once admitted this, when he regaled an attendant pack of reporters by telling them: “Don’t worry. I always consult my wife.” However, he didn’t tell them what they were supposed to be worried about.
Now, she has been seen to be a driving force behind the appointment of some of Thaksin’s cabinet ministers. The most outstanding recent example was the appointment by Thaksin on August 2 of outgoing air force commander ACM Kongsak Wantana as interior minister. The post is viewed as probably the second most powerful in the government, handling the country’s administration and security networks.
Kongsak, who was due to retire as air force chief in October, is married to another air force officer, Salinlawan, who just happens to have been Potjaman Shinawatra’s personal secretary for some years.
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