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Nay Soe Maung
Nay Soe Maung
နေစိုးမောင်
Rector of the University of Public Health, Yangon
	In office; 2013 – August 2017
Succeeded by	Khay Mar Mya
Personal details
Born	17 November 1956 (age 68); Yangon, Myanmar
Spouse	Kyi Kyi Shwe
Relations	Than Shwe (father-in-law); Kyaing Kyaing (mother-in-law)
Children	Nay Shwe Thway Aung
Parent	Tin Sein (father)
Residence	Yangon
Alma mater	University of Medicine 1, Yangon (MBBS) ; Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine (MPH, ICHD) ; University of Economics, Yangon
Occupation	Physician; professor; rector; activist;
Website	Nay Soe Maung on Facebook
Military service
Allegiance	Burma
Branch/service	Myanmar Army
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel

Nay Soe Maung (Burmese: နေစိုးမောင်; born 17 November 1956) is a Burmese physician and professor who served as Rector of the University of Public Health, Yangon from 2013 to 2017, and as President of the People's Health Foundation.^[1] He is also known as the anti-tobacco control activist in Myanmar.^[2]^[3]

Early life and education

Nay Soe was born on 17 November 1956 in Yangon, Myanmar. He is the son of Major general Tin Sein, a former Deputy Defense Minister of Burma.^[4] He graduated with MBBS and Diploma from University of Medicine 1, Yangon, MPH and ICHD from Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Belgium, and Master of Development Study from University of Economics, Yangon.^[5]

Career

Nay Soe Maung became an army doctor in Myanmar Army Medical Corps and Military Hospital up to the rank of a colonel after his graduation. He also served as a lecturer, professor and later head of Department of Health Policy in the University of Public Health, Yangon. Afterwards, he was appointed as Rector of the University of Public Health, Yangon in 2013.^[5]

With an extensive background exceeding 20 years in medical research, Nay Soe Maung has primarily concentrated on disease control, specifically targeting communicable diseases (CD) and non-communicable diseases (NCD), including neglected tropical diseases like Lymphatic Filariasis, Malaria, and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF). His substantial research portfolio encompasses a wide spectrum, including expertise in CD, NCD, Environmental Health, Health System Strengthening, and Health Policy and System research.^[5]

He presently serves as the president of the Myanmar Hiking and Mountaineering Federation and holds the position of vice-president at the Myanmar Organization for Road Safety (MORS).

In the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, Nay Soe Maung posted a photo of himself supporting the demonstrations on Facebook, stating that as a retired public official, he stood together with the public and the truth. His vocal support for the anti-coup movement and criticism of the military regime drew the attention of authorities. On 23 October 2024, he was arrested in Pyigyidagun Township, Mandalay, on suspicion of spreading "inflammatory news." This arrest followed his online statements that criticized the incumbent military ruler, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and expressed condolences for the late senior National League for Democracy member Doctor Zaw Myint Maung.

Following his father's arrest, on 26 October 2024, Nay Shwe Thway Aung posted on his Facebook story: "Doing such things makes the people suffer... Let's think carefully." In Burmese, this reads: "အဲ့လိုတွေလုပ်လေပြည်သူကနာကျည်းလေ.. စဉ်းစားချင့်ချိန်လုပ်ကြပါ.." Nay Soe Maung's arrest highlights the risks faced by individuals within Myanmar's elite, revealing the ongoing tensions and challenges to dissent against the military government's authority.^[6]^[7]

Award

He was awarded "World No Tobacco Day 2014 Award" by World Health Organization for his devoted works and major contribution to Tobacco Control Program of Myanmar.^[5]