[3][4] Serving as the chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) from 1992 to 2011, he played a significant role in shaping the country's political landscape.

[19] While his leadership was marked by significant achievements, it also faced scrutiny and criticism, particularly regarding allegations of human rights abuses and restrictions on political freedoms.

[41][42][43][44][45] Than Shwe was born on 2 February 1933, in Minzu village, near Kyaukse, British Burma (now Myanmar), to his parents, Lay Myint and Seinn Yin.

[52][53][54] However, his path shifted towards the military when he enlisted in the Burmese Army, joining the ninth intake of the Officers Training School, Bahtoo.

[70][71][72] On 26 February 1958, Than Shwe's career took an international turn as he was assigned to the newly established Directorate of Education and Psychological warfare within the War Office.

[91][92] During the tenure with the 77th LID, he actively participated in military operations across Karen State, Irrawaddy Delta region and Bago Hills.

[104] Than Shwe elevated himself to the rank of senior general and replaced Saw Maung as the head of the State Law and Order Restoration Council and commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces.

Than Shwe relaxed some state control over the economy, and was a supporter of Burma's participation in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Although the main opposition party, National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi, which won the multi-party democracy general election in 1990, did not participate, the chairman of National Convention Lieutenant General Thein Sein announced that the creation of the "Constitution" had been accomplished.

The lavish wedding of his daughter, involving diamonds and champagne, was particularly controversial in a country whose people continue to suffer enormous poverty and enforced austerity.

[109] The former premier, who said he supported Aung San Suu Kyi's involvement in the National Convention, was seen as a moderate at odds with the junta's hardliners.

Than Shwe is said to rely heavily on advice from his soothsayers, a style of ruling dating back to General Ne Win, a leader who once shot his mirror to avoid bad luck.

Than Shwe also commented on the upcoming 2010 Burmese election, saying that by the time the UN chief next visits Burma, "I will be an ordinary citizen, a lay person, and my colleagues will too because it will be a civilian government.

"[116] Reports suggested that a significant number of Burmese individuals, potentially reaching up to a million, were allegedly subjected to forced labor in "jungle gulags".

In 2007, during the Saffron Revolution, mass demonstrations led by Buddhist monks were suppressed by security forces, resulting in casualties and detentions.

[108][123] After days of Saffron Revolution, there were unconfirmed reports that Than Shwe's wife and pets fled the country on 27 September 2007, possibly to Laos.

[131][132] This arrest has drawn attention, particularly given Nay Soe Maung's previous criticisms of the military’s response to civil resistance after the 2021 coup.

[133][134] The incident reflects the ongoing tensions within Myanmar’s military elite and raises questions about the enduring influence of Than Shwe's legacy.

[135][136][137] In a show of support for his father, Nay Shwe Thway Aung posted on his Facebook story on 26 October 2024: "Doing such things makes the people suffer... Let's think carefully," and in Burmese: "အဲ့လိုတွေလုပ်လေပြည်သူကနာကျည်းလေ.. စဉ်းစားချင့်ချိန်လုပ်ကြပါ.." This statement underscores the challenges facing those within the former ruling elite as they navigate the complexities of the current military regime.

Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and Chinese president Xi Jinping are among those who have paid respects at the statue during visits to Yangon.

[138] As a notoriously superstitious, the unusual clothing choices, namely the wearing of traditional female acheik-patterned longyi (sarongs) by Than Shwe and other military generals at public appearances, including Union Day celebrations in February 2011 and at the reception of the Lao Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh in June 2011 have also been attributed to yadaya, as a way to divert power to neutralize Aung San Suu Kyi's power.