[1] The King, who came to power amid controversy, largely put an end to his father Hsinbyushin's policy of territorial expansion, which had severely depleted the kingdom's manpower and resources.
He stopped his father's latest war against Siam at his accession, effectively ceding Lan Na to the Siamese.
Singu was born Min Ye Hla (မင်းရဲလှ), the eldest son to the Prince of Myedu (later King Hsinbyushin) and his first wife at the Royal Palace in Ava on 10 May 1756.
Singu's accession was made possible by the support of his father-in-law Gen. Maha Thiha Thura, the commander-in-chief of the Burmese military.
Concerned about his own rule at home, Singu ordered a complete withdrawal of Burmese forces from Lan Na and Upper Menam valley.
Similarly, he took no action when the Laotian states of Vientiane and Luang Prabang, which had been Burmese vassals since 1765, stopped paying tribute in 1778.
[5] Nonetheless, his demobilization was well received by the war-torn country, as the people had grown tired of constant conscriptions to fight in "ever-lasting wars" in remote regions they had never heard of.
[3] On 6 February 1782, one of the exiled cousins, Prince of Phaungka, came back to Ava, deposed Singu and declared himself to be king.