Myanmar Spring Chronicle – October 25 Perspective
(MoeMaKa, October 26, 2025)
Myanmar’s Social Media Abuzz with Election Controversy
This morning, BBC Burmese reported on Facebook that Dr. Thet Thet Khine, chairperson of the People’s Pioneer Party (PPP), had been disqualified from contesting the upcoming election. Within hours, the story went viral—becoming one of the most talked-about topics on Myanmar social media.
Dr. Thet Thet Khine was formerly elected to parliament in the 2015 election under the National League for Democracy (NLD). She is also known as a business owner of the Shwe Nan Daw jewelry enterprise and an investor in a high-rise condominium project at the corner of Saya San Road and Kabar Aye Pagoda Road.
During the NLD government’s term, she publicly criticized its economic policies and implementation. As a result, she was expelled from her party duties, later resigning from the NLD and founding the People’s Pioneer Party (PPP). Her party contested in the 2020 general election.
After the 2021 coup, Dr. Thet Thet Khine accepted an offer from the military junta to serve as Minister for Social Welfare, Relief, and Resettlement, and was later transferred to the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism before being dismissed from her post.
According to the initial reports, the Union Election Commission (UEC)—under junta control—revoked her candidacy under Section 8(g) of the election law, citing “conflict of loyalty” due to her previous association with the NLD. However, earlier lower-level election subcommissions had already approved and issued her candidate certificate, leading some to assume that she had been officially confirmed before the disqualification order came down.
The story generated thousands of comments and shares within hours. Many junta supporters reacted gleefully, saying this was “karmic payback” for someone who had aligned herself with the military. Others took it as proof that even those loyal to the junta could not trust its system, showing that participation in the regime’s election brought no guarantee of reward or fairness.
Later in the day, however, a number of news outlets contacted PPP officials, who denied the BBC report, saying it was false. They stated that Dr. Thet Thet Khine still held her candidate card and that while the UEC had requested clarifications on some matters, the issues would likely be resolved. Several outlets carried this correction.
But within just a few hours, the UEC itself confirmed to a local media outlet that her candidacy had indeed been revoked. Thus, what began as a “false report” in the morning ended up being verified as true by late afternoon.
This episode captured the attention of Myanmar’s online public, highlighting both the fluidity of junta-controlled information and the political theater surrounding the election process.
Meanwhile, the NUG, ethnic armed organizations, and pro-democracy groups have continued to urge the public to boycott or reject the junta’s planned election. During last year’s census, some PDF armed groups attacked or detained census officials. So far, no such incidents have been reported this year, though some resistance groups have issued warnings banning election activities in territories they control.
Exiled and independent media outlets continue to report on election developments rather than ignoring them, viewing coverage as a way to document irregularities and demonstrate the lack of fairness. The widespread reporting on Dr. Thet Thet Khine’s case shows that journalists are monitoring the process closely and providing updates as new facts emerge.
However, there is also a downside. Media attention on the junta’s election can inadvertently generate public curiosity and lend visibility to what the military wants to showcase as a legitimate process.
Inside the country, for most citizens, daily survival outweighs any interest in the election. People are preoccupied with airstrikes, displacement, hunger, and skyrocketing prices. Amid life-threatening dangers and economic collapse, few have the time or energy to care about political campaigns.
Given this reality, it may be more meaningful for Myanmar media to focus coverage not on the junta’s election mechanics but on helping the public stay safe from war, highlighting humanitarian needs, and amplifying the struggles of displaced and impoverished communities.
In a time when war, poverty, and fear dominate daily life, election headlines may stir debate—but survival remains the only ballot that truly matters to the people.