Linn Thant

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In this Burmese name, the given name is Linn Thant. There is no family name.
U
His Excellency
Linn Thant
လင်းသန့်
Representative of the National Unity Government of Myanmar to the Czech Republic
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 April 2021
PresidentDuwa Lashi La
Prime MinisterMahn Win Khaing Than
Preceded byPosition established
Personal details
Born (1969-03-14) March 14, 1969 (age 56)
Meiktila, Central Myanmar (formerly Burma)
OccupationAmbassador, politician
ProfessionPolitician, diplomat
AwardsDiplomatic Service Medal with Honours (provided by Diplomacy in Ireland – European Diplomat)[1]
Websitehttps://nugmyanmar.org/

U Linn Thant (Burmese: လင်းသန့်;pronounced [lɪ̀ɴ θàɴ]; born 14 March 1969) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, and ambassador. He currently serves as the representative of the National Unity Government of Myanmar (NUG) to the Czech Republic. Linn Thant has been active in Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement since the 1988 uprising and is known for his involvement with the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABSDF).[2][3]

Early life and education

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Linn Thant was born on 14 March 1969 in Meiktila, Central Burma (now Myanmar), into an Anglo-Burmese family. He was raised learning Christian culture from his British grandfather and Buddhist culture from his other grandparents. His family experienced social discrimination due to their British ancestry.[4]

From 1984, he studied civil engineering at a local university while also teaching students of the same age at a private school. He became politically active during his teenage years, and education remained a central part of his life, both during his imprisonment and in exile.[5]

Political career

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Linn Thant became politically active in the early 1980s and played a role in the 8888 Uprising as a member of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (ABSDF). During the protests, he emerged as one of the leaders of the student movement and delivered speeches advocating democracy and human rights. He also maintained secret contacts with the opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD).[6][7]

Political activism and imprisonment

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Following the 1988 military coup, Linn Thant went into hiding and joined the ABSDF in border regions. In 1989, he was arrested by military authorities. On 25 May 1990, in a closed trial, he was sentenced to death for his political activities. He spent approximately three years on death row in Insein Prison under harsh conditions, including prolonged isolation and restraints, before his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 1993 under an amnesty issued by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). In 1997, he was transferred to Thayet Prison, where conditions were comparatively better, and he was released on 9 July 2008.[8][9]

During his imprisonment, Linn Thant engaged in extensive self-education, reading smuggled books, practicing meditation, and teaching fellow prisoners. He also documented prison conditions through smuggled photographs and notes to inform the international community about human rights abuses.

Exile and career abroad

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After his release, he reconnected with members of the 88 Generation Student Group and helped establish educational initiatives to promote civic awareness and political understanding. Due to continued surveillance by military intelligence, he left Myanmar and resided in Thailand, working as an English teacher with the Thinking Classroom Foundation and as a reporter and commentator for The Irrawaddy news agency beginning in 2010.[10][11][12]

In 2011, Linn Thant was granted political asylum in the Czech Republic. He later returned temporarily to Thailand before relocating permanently to the Czech Republic in 2015. There, he contributed weekly political and business columns on Myanmar and Asia for the newspaper Deník Referendum. In addition to journalism, he has taught English and mindfulness at Czech preschools and at the Center for Modern Education’s primary and secondary schools. Since 2018, he has also been engaged in the import and distribution of Burmese coffee across the Czech Republic and Europe.[13][14][15][16][17]

Role in the National Unity Government

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On 24 April 2021, Linn Thant was appointed as the Representative of the National Unity Government of Myanmar to the Czech Republic.[18] In this role, he promotes NUG’s foreign policy objectives, strengthen diplomatic relations, and raises international awareness of Myanmar’s democratic movement in Europe.[19][20]

Awards and honours

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On 25 February 2024, Linn Thant was awarded the Diplomatic Service Medal with Honours by Diplomacy in Ireland – The European Diplomat, in recognition of his efforts to promote democracy and advocate for the people of Myanmar.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "NUG Ambassador Linn Thant honoured". Diplomacy in Ireland – European Diplomat. February 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  2. ^ "U Linn Thant – MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  3. ^ "Biography – Page 2 – MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  4. ^ "NUG ambassador to the Czech Republic receives Diplomatic Service Medal". Mizzima News. 28 February 2024.
  5. ^ Editor (25 February 2024). "Thant – NUG Ambassador to Czech Republic Honoured - Diplomacy in Ireland - The European Diplomat". Retrieved 7 October 2025. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ Editor, English (27 February 2024). "NUG Ambassador to receive award; Humanitarian aid into Burma from Thailand to begin in March". DVB. Retrieved 7 October 2025. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ "Mizzima | Christmas Gift for Democratic Actors of Myanmar: Czech Parliamentarians Refuse Junta Representatives and Disregard Planned Sham Voting". Inspiral News (in Burmese). Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  8. ^ "Myanmar's exile government finds friends in Prague – DW – 01/18/2022". dw.com. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  9. ^ Rockwell, Fredo (14 November 2022). "'We Only Need Two Things – Real Enemies and Real Friends': Myanmar's Democratic Opposition". Byline Times. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  10. ^ "Myanmar's National Unity Government Must Be Doing Something Right". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  11. ^ Irrawaddy, The (22 September 2025). "Czech Republic Supplies Planes to Myanmar Airline Tied to Junta". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  12. ^ Hutt, David (15 June 2022). "Shadow Myanmar government gaining European friends". Asia Times. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  13. ^ AFP (27 August 2023). "Myanmar Expels top East Timor Diplomat". The Irrawaddy. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  14. ^ "Panel Discussion: Myanmar's Voices for Freedom". Insight Myanmar. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  15. ^ "NUG criticizes military council's action of expelling Timor-Leste ambassador as illegal – Thanlwintimes". thanlwintimes.com. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Myanmar's message to the EU amid Ukraine crisis: 'Don't forget us"". euronews. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  17. ^ "Myanmar's government-in-exile finds friends in the Czech Republic | Taiwan News | Jan. 18, 2022 12:18". taiwannews.com.tw. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  18. ^ "Myanmar expels top Timor-Leste diplomat". The Straits Times. 28 August 2023. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  19. ^ "Why the Acting President of Myanmar's NUG Is Right to Prioritize Internal Politics". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  20. ^ "Fighting to Govern Myanmar, From a Teeny Office in Washington (Published 2023)". 13 November 2023. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
  21. ^ "NUG Ambassador Linn Thant honoured". Diplomacy in Ireland – European Diplomat. February 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2025.