Than Shwe Grandson’s Birthday Bash

Burmese junta boss Gen Than Shwe’s football-loving grandson netted the country’s top soccer personalities for his 16th birthday party at Rangoon’s Sedona Hotel. Even the newly-hired Brazilian coach of Burma’s national football side, Marcos Antonio Falopa, was there, together with members of his squad and some former top-ranking players.

The party in late May for Nay Shwe Thway Aung was organized by the chairman of the Myanmar [Burma] Football Federation, Zaw Zaw, who is also a well-known businessman.

Pictures obtained by The Irrawaddy show the guests, including the wives of top junta leaders, cheering the birthday boy and singing “Happy Birthday.” Candles decorated his birthday cake.

Posters put up o­n the walls for the occasion showed pictures of the World Cup competition and such stars as Britain’s David Beckham.

Nay Shwe Thway Aung left off his usual Western party gear and turned up in a silver-colored longyi and a traditional red jacket. His favorite teams, Manchester United and Liverpool, play in red shirts, and those in the know said that he had made the color the theme of the evening.

The young man is a familiar figure o­n Burmese TV and o­n the football field, where he sometimes organizes charity football matches.

He scored two goals in a charity match last week at the Youth Training Center in Rangoon, playing alongside the former Japanese international player Hidetoshi Nakata. Nakata scored o­ne goal.

"He’s Than Shwe’s grandson, remember, so of course no o­ne dared to confront him o­n the field," a Rangoon-based sports commentator told The Irrawaddy.