Sao Shwe Thaik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Agga Maha Thray Sithu
Agga Maha Thiri Thudhamma Sao Shwe Thaik
စဝ်ရွှေသိုက် Saopha of Yawnghwe
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| Speaker of the Chamber of Nationalities | |
| In office 1952–1960 |
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| 1st President of Burma | |
| In office 4 January 1948 – 16 March 1952 |
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| Preceded by | George VI as the King of British Burma Hubert Rance (as Governor of British Burma) |
| Succeeded by | Ba U |
| Saopha of Yawnghwe | |
| In office 8 March 1929 – 2 March 1962 |
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| Preceded by | Sao Maung |
| Succeeded by | None (abolished) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 October 1895 Yawnghwe, Federated Shan States, British Burma |
| Died | 21 November 1962 (aged 67) Rangoon, Burma |
| Political party | AFPFL |
| Spouses | Sao Nang Hearn Kham Mya Win Nyunt May |
| Children | Hso Khan Pha |
| Parent | Sir Sao Maung |
| Alma mater | Shan Chiefs School, Taunggyi |
Sao Shwe Thaik (Shan: ၸဝ်ႈၶမ်းသိူၵ်ႈ; Burmese: စဝ်ရွှေသိုက် 16 October 1895 – 21 November 1962) was a very important leader in Myanmar (which used to be called Burma). He was the first president of the Union of Burma. He was also the last traditional ruler, known as a Saopha, of Yawnghwe. Sao Shwe Thaik was a respected political figure from the Shan people. His old home in Nyaung Shwe is now a museum.
Early Life and Becoming a Saopha
Sao Shwe Thaik was born on October 16, 1895. He went to school at the Shan Chiefs School in Taunggyi. He joined the British military during World War I. He also worked for the Northeast Frontier Service for a few years.
In 1927, he was chosen to be the next Saopha of Yawnghwe. A Saopha was like a traditional prince or ruler of a Shan state. He officially started this role on March 8, 1929. He served in the military again from 1939 to 1942. Sao Shwe Thaik was married, and his first wife was Sao Nang Hearn Hkam. He had three children.
First President of Burma
Burma became an independent country on January 4, 1948. On that day, Sao Shwe Thaik became the first president of the Union of Burma. He was the country's head of state until March 16, 1952.
On Independence Day, he gave a speech to the nation. He said: Let us be happy about our independence today. We worked hard for it for many years. It came from friendly talks, not from fighting. Today is also a day for us to come together. The different groups in Burma, like the Kachins and Chins, used to see themselves as separate. But now, we have a bigger idea: a Union of Burma. We are united as one nation. We will work together for Burma's future. Unity helped us gain independence quickly. Let unity continue to be our main goal.
A year later, on January 4, 1949, he spoke again. He warned the people about problems happening in the country. He said: Working together and understanding each other cannot happen if there is violence. Freedom cannot exist where there is violence. When violence starts, liberty ends. Today, democracy is struggling in the world. This is because many nations believe in using force. Some countries that claim to be democracies are starting to look like states where one group has all the power.
He was talking about the fighting and problems happening inside Burma at that time.
Later Life and Passing
After his time as president, Sao Shwe Thaik became the Speaker of the Chamber of Nationalities. This was like being the leader of one part of the government's parliament. He held this position from 1950 to 1962.
In March 1962, the military took control of the government. This was led by General Ne Win. Sao Shwe Thaik was arrested during this time. He sadly passed away in prison in November 1962. One of his sons, who was 17 years old, was also killed during the military takeover.
See also
In Spanish: Sao Shwe Thaik para niños
