Final Tribute: State Funeral of Former Pro-Tem President

The state funeral for the Late Pro-Tem President U Myint Swe of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, was held in the afternoon of Monday, August 11th, 2025 at the Nyein Aye Hall within the Military Hospital and the Military Cemetery in Nay Pyi Taw.

The state funeral service was led by the Secretary of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, Maha Nayaka of the Masoeyein Taik-Thit Monastery of Mandalay together with the Venerable Sayadaws and members of the Sangha. It was attended by Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla as well as the former President  U Thein Sein; former Vice Presidents Thiha Thura Tin Aung Myint Oo and U Nyan Tun, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services and Commander-in-Chief (Army) Vice-Senior General Soe Win and wife Daw Than Than Nwe; retired senior military officers; member of the SSPC, Prime Minister, Union Minister for National Planning U Nyo Saw and wife; the SSPC members; the Union Ministers; the retired Union-level dignitaries and Union ministers; the Chairman of the Nay Pyi Taw Council; senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, members of the social organizations; the wife of Pro-Tem President Daw Khin Thet Htay and family members; relatives; invited guests; and members of religious associations.

First, the remains of the Pro-Tem President U Myint Swe were moved with military guard of honors with the procession to the designated location. The former President U Thein Sein and Vice Presidents Thihathura Tin Aung Myint Oo and U Nyan Tun so also the retired senior military officers, Vice-Senior General Soe Win and his wife, Union-level dignitaries, commission members and their wives, senior military officers from the Office of Commander-in-Chief, and the late Pro-Tem President U Myint Swe's family members paid their respect.

Next, the SSPC Chairman Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla paid their respects to the remains of the late Pro-Tem President U Myint Swe. The Senior General and wife then conveyed their respect and comforted to the late Pro-Tem President's wife Daw Khin Thet Htay and family members. After that, the SSPC Chairman Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services and wife together with the congregation received the Five Precepts from the Secretary of State Sangha Mahanayaka Committee Venerable Ma-Soe-Yein Taik-Thit Sayadaw and observed the recitation of the three verses of Samvega .

Following this, the late Pro-Tem President's wife Daw Khin Thet Htay and family members offered robes and offertories to the Venerable members of the Sangha. After that, the bereaved family along with the Senior General and wife, and the rest of congregation observed the sermons delivered by the Venerable Sayadaw. They later poured the libation water and shared the merits. The bereaved wife Daw Khin Thet Htay and family members then paid their final respects to the remains of late Pro-Tem President.

Next, the coffin was carried by eight Union Ministers and moved to the gun carriage with the procession to the Military Cemetery. Simultaneously, the military guard of honor paid their tribute with the gun salute and the funeral rite was performed by breaking the golden water pot. The funeral procession left the Nyein Aye Hall and proceeded to the Military Cemetery in a motorcade, accompanied by the SSPC Chairman Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services and wife, SSPC Vice Chairman Vice-Senior General Soe Win and wife, the SSPC members and their wives, the bereaved family members of late Pro-Tem President, Union-level dignitaries, Union ministers and their wives, senior military officers from the Commander-in-Chief's Office, departmental officials, invited guests, and members of religious associations.

Along the way on PubbaThiri Round-about, military personnel from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, civil servants, and members of the public paid their last respect and deep condolences. Upon arrival to the ceremonial ground of Military Cemetery, the state funeral procession was conducted by the military guard of honor.

The bereaved family together with the SSPC Chairman Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services and wife, the SSPC Vice Chairman Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services, Commander-in-Chief (Army) and wife, the Union-level dignitaries, senior military officers, officials from various organizations, and invited guests followed the procession.

The coffin was then carried by the eight Union Ministers. After that, the SSPC Chairman and Vice Chairman, Union-level dignitaries, and senior military officers took their places. The military squad performed the gun salute by presenting their rifles in a downward position, and then transitioning to an upward position.

The Chairman of the State Security and Peace Commission then read out the proclamation of National Defence and Security Council and placed it inside the coffin. In honor of late Pro-Tem President U Myint Swe, the guard of honor paid a three-volley salute, followed by a final rifle salute and the playing of a bugle call. Next, the ambassadors from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh, the Russian Federation, India, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, the People's Republic of China, and Laos, along with the chargés d'affaires from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brunei, 16 military attachés from foreign embassies in Myanmar, paid their individual respects to the remains of late Pro-Tem President.

The bereaved wife and family members paid their final respects before the cremation. After the cremation, the son of late Pro-Tem President Un Myint Swe, retired Captain Kyaw Phone Myint and family members collected the urn and transported to the designated burial site.

The SSPC member, Prime Minister, Union Minister for National Planning U Nyo Saw and wife together with members of the State Funeral Organizing Committee, senior military officers from the Office of Commander-in-Chief, and guests also attended the burial site and observed progress of placing the urn inside the burial tomb. Finally, the bereaved family paid their respect to the tomb of Pro-Tem President U Myint Swe