Literary Lifetime Achievement Award-winning writer Maung Swe Thet passes away

RENOWNED veteran writ­er and National Literary Award for Lifetime Achieve­ment winner Maung Swe Thet (Colonel Nyunt Swe, Retd) passed away in Yan­gon on at approximately 4 pm 19 August 2026 at 91.

Maung Swe Thet, whose real name was U Nyunt Swe, was born in Sagaing Region in Octo­ber 1935 to writer Ngwe Soe (U Ngwe Hsaing) and Daw Hsint. He joined the military as an cadet in March 1954. During his ser­vice in the Tatmadaw, he successively held various ranks and positions, ulti­mately serving as Deputy Commander of a military command.

Following his military service, he continued to serve in government posi­tions, including Managing Director at the Ministry of Commerce, Myanmar Am­bassador to Thailand, Dep­uty Minister for Foreign Affairs and Member of the Union Civil Service Board (at deputy-minister level), before retiring in 2006.

He entered the liter­ary field around 1951-1952, writing military memoirs, non-fiction, fiction and nov­els. Under pen names in­cluding ‘Maung Swe Thet’, he published numerous short stories and articles in various publications, in­cluding Myawady Magazine and many other journals. Over the course of his lit­erary career, he published 14 books.

He also contributed to public service as an in-house consultant at Popu­lar Journal and served first as Vice-Chairman and later as Chairman of the Myan­mar Libraries Foundation.

In recognition of his distinguished public ser­vice and literary contribu­tions, he was awarded the title of Wunna Kyaw Htin, the Excellent Performance in the Administrative Field (First Class) and the Excel­lent Performance in the So­cial Field (First Class). He also received the Sayawun Tin Shwe Literary Award, Tun Foundation Literary Award, Pakokku U Ohn Pe Lifetime Literary Award and the 2023 National Lit­erary Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Reflecting on receiv­ing the National Literary Award for Lifetime Achieve­ment, he once remarked: “As a writer, knowing that people read what you write brings deep joy and fulfil­ment. Knowing how much benefit it brings to the reader makes that joy even greater”— a sentiment that reflected his lifelong dedi­cation to literature.

Writer Maung Swe Thet is survived by his wife, writer Ma Thet Swe (Thayet), three children, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. — TWA/TH