Thet Swe Win

An outspoken human-rights activist. Humanist. Pro-People. Wannabe Vegetarian.

[Khaosod English @KhaosodEnglish]

Don’t Be Fooled: Myanmar’s Military Junta’s Sham “Elections” Are a Weapon, Not a Path to Peace

Special contribution by Thet Swe Win

When war criminals stage elections, it is not democracy. It is theatre meant to disguise their crimes and extend their grip on power.
On 28 December 2025, Myanmar’s military junta—rebranded as the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC) after dissolving the so-called State Administration Council—plans to hold national “elections.” The generals want the world to believe this as a step toward stability. In truth, it is nothing more than a mask for dictatorship.

Why are these elections illegitimate?
No mandate. The junta has no authority to govern. It seized power in February 2021, overthrowing an elected government, gunning down protesters, and jailing thousands. Aung San Suu Kyi and countless political prisoners remain behind bars. Any vote under these conditions is illegitimate by definition and a farce.

Law as a weapon. The junta’s new “election protection” law threatens citizens with prison and even the death penalty for disrupting” the process. Dozens of opposition groups have been banned as “terrorist” organizations, and the National League for Democracy — which won a landslide in 2020 — was forcibly dissolved. This is not political competition; it is coercion.

A country under siege. Entire regions live under martial-law. Airstrikes have targeted and destroyed hospitals, schools, and religious sites. More than 3.5 million people are displaced and over 15.5 million people starving according to the UN. Families live in fear, while humanitarian aid is blocked or weaponized. Elections in the middle of mass atrocities are not credible; they are crimes against democracy itself.

Dialogue as a trap. Some embassies and NGOs are now pressuring resistance forces to enter dialogue with the junta. However, dialogue without rights and accountability is not reconciliation — it is surrender. A regime that bombs its own citizens cannot be a partner for peace.

A Global Pattern of Betrayal
Myanmar’s crisis is part of a broader global democratic recession. Authoritarian regimes are consolidating power, while many governments that once championed human rights have grown silent.

Across the world, rhetoric has shifted. Leaders speak less of liberty and more of “stability” and “business opportunities.” For Myanmar’s people, this shift is not just disappointing — it is devastating. Every time a powerful government engages with the junta in pursuit of trade or resources, it signals that profits matter more than lives.

The moral responsibility of powerful nations is clear. The United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom frequently invoke a “rules-based order.” Regional powers like Japan, India, and Australia speak of defending democracy. These principles mean nothing if the same governments turn a blind eye to Myanmar’s suffering and actually engage with the junta.

Silence is not neutrality; it is complicity. Pretending that the junta’s vote is a step toward peace is not diplomacy; it is collaboration in dismantling human rights. If powerful nations betray Myanmar today, they weaken the moral foundation of democracy everywhere tomorrow.

After the 2010 elections that brought the Thein Sein government into power governments and the UN grumbled about unfair elections but soon lost their principles and engaged in business with them. The world must remember: to abandon morality for business in Myanmar is to set a precedent that authoritarianism can be excused, legitimized, and rewarded.

The People’s Revolution Endures
Five years after the coup, the Spring Revolution is still alive. It has not been easy. Thousands have been killed, millions displaced, and communities reduced to rubble. Yet the revolution continues — not because of weapons, but because of will.
The struggle is slow, but it is principled. More: https://t.co/plpTivpWXI
#Myanmar #Thailand

[Khaosod English @KhaosodEnglish]

Not a Burden, But a Bond — Let This Border Be a Bridge of Shared Hope and Humanity
A Shared Town in a Time of Crisis

Mae Sot has long been more than just a border town. It is a space where Thai and Burmese lives have intersected for generations—through trade, culture, kinship, and, in recent years, shared hardship. Since the attempted military coup in Myanmar on 1 February 2021, Mae Sot has seen a significant influx of Burmese people fleeing violence, persecution, and political collapse.
Among them are students, teachers, artists, and professionals who left behind homes, careers, and possessions to seek temporary safety. Many live with a quiet gratitude toward Thailand for allowing them sanctuary. But in recent months, that sense of safety has started to fray. Crackdowns on undocumented migrants have intensified, while online rhetoric increasingly paints Burmese people as threats—accused of stealing jobs, overwhelming public services, or competing with local businesses.
Yet behind each Burmese face is not a threat, but a story—of survival, dignity, and deep respect for their host. This is not a crisis of invasion. It is a test of compassion, coexistence, and our shared humanity.

Workers of the Border: Carrying the Town’s Weight
After COVID-19 emptied Mae Sot’s streets, it was Burmese migrants who brought the town back to life. They returned to farms, reopened factories, and revitalized homes, markets, and shops. Without them, many local businesses would have closed.
Nilar, a 27-year-old mother from Bago, now works at a oursource garment factory. She earns just 200 baht a day—below the legal minimum—but says, “It’s still better than bombs.” Her husband was shot during a protest in Myanmar. With her toddler strapped to her back, she irons shirts under sweltering heat, dreaming of a day her son can safely attend school.
Like Nilar, many migrants take on what are called the “3D jobs”—dirty, dangerous, and difficult—roles often left vacant by Thai citizens. They clean, cook, harvest, build, and produce. They pay rent, buy food, and support local trade. And they do so while living on the edge of legality, with few protections and even fewer rights.

Health Care and Hard Choices
Social media claims that Burmese people overburden Thai hospitals and receive free care. But the truth is far more nuanced.
Many migrants pay their own way. Some are covered by M-Fund, a non-profit health insurance scheme supported by international donors. Others pay out of pocket. For those without either option, hospitals often request a deposit—sometimes 10,000 to 20,000 baht—before treatment. For families who fled with nothing, such costs are simply out of reach.
Moe Thidar, a 19-year-old student from Mandalay, lost her father to a treatable heart condition. “We had no documents. The hospital asked for 15,000 baht. We only had 3,000,” she said. “They told us they couldn’t admit him.”
In some cases, compassionate doctors have waived fees. But this is not guaranteed. These are not people exploiting the system—they are people surviving within it, grateful for every kindness shown and devastated when help is out of reach.

The Unexpected Talent Flow
Unlike previous generations of migrant workers, many recent arrivals to Mae Sot come from Myanmar’s middle class. They include doctors, professors, engineers, entrepreneurs, and artists who escaped targeted persecution.... Read more:
https://t.co/jjc3uw78zi
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About the Author
(The author is a Burmese refugee and community organizer living in Mae Sot, Thailand. For security reasons, their name and identifying details have been withheld. Drawing from lived experience and close work with migrant communities, they share this perspective to build understanding between Thai and Burmese people during a time of rising fear and misunderstanding.)
(Matichon file photo.)
#Thailand #Myanmar #Tak #maesot

[Thet Swe Win @Thet_Swe_Win]

International Community including ASEAN!

The only path to end Myanmar’s crisis is to crush the military regime. Sham elections under a dictatorship are not solutions. They are tools of tyranny. Do not be COMPLICIT!

#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#ASEANMalaysia2025

[Thet Swe Win @Thet_Swe_Win]

🌍 URGENT: Myanmar Junta Bombs Earthquake Victims
1,644+ dead, thousands trapped. NUG ceasefire blocked by junta airstrikes in Sagaing disaster zones.
**📢 Act Now
1️⃣ Bypass SAC: Aid via civil groups/NUG.
2️⃣ Free Access: Let rescue teams/media enter.
#MyanmarEarthquake2025

[Gwen Robinson @RobinsonBKK]

Thailand's growing migration dilemma: Myanmar's coup has driven new waves of migrants, many undocumented, & a growing backlash. What's the way forward? In BKK Dec. 18, join us for a lively discussion with experts @FCCThai, 4pm-5.30pm. All welcome.
https://t.co/ljWDdP18Ie

[Ministry of Defence @mod_nug]

Today, drones struck Naypyitaw, SAC's HQ (Ka Ka-Army) & Alar Air Base. Preliminary reports indicate casualties. PDF's Special Forces & Shar Htoo Waw's Kloud Drone and Lethal Prop teams led the coordinated attacks.

[Thet Swe Win @Thet_Swe_Win]

We urge intl’ Gov to swiftly take action against foreign entities operating in the jet fuel sector, which is linked to human rights violations in the MM economy. @HumanRightsCtte @UKParliament @GOVUK @10DowningStreet @USTreasury @Europarl_EN @EUinASEAN
#BanJetFuelExportsToMM

[Phil Robertson @Reaproy]

.@NUGMyanmar Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung addresses a conference this morning at the #Thai Parliament. Important recognition from parliamentarians in #Thailand for the key role of the NUG in the future of #Myanmar.

#WhatsHappeningInMyanmar
#whatshappeninginthailand

[Justice For Myanmar @JusticeMyanmar]

Justice For Myanmar presents THE BLOOD BEHIND THE MONEY, part two of #DirtyOver30 and the unofficial sequel to Crazy Rich Asians.

In the real world, CRAZY RICH ASIANS isn’t a rom-com. It’s a horror film.

https://t.co/G9f3ErPD2L #DoMoreSingapore #NoMoreDirtyDeals

[DVB English News @DVB_English]

The Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said that Naypyidaw has lost support of its own military, Reuters reported. He made the remarks during a forum in the U.S. citing analyses of recent fighting in Burma. #Myanmar #ASEAN #Philippines

Read more: https://t.co/hSzCa5TXZU

[Saw Nimrod from Burma @NimrodAndrew]

Operation 1027 to Nationwide Operation. #NationWideOperation #WhatIsHappeningInMyanmar stronger together. We are wining and we are ready to govern. Towards an inclusive federal democratic system.

[Saw Nimrod from Burma @NimrodAndrew]

What is happening in Burma. SAC division 22 soldiers salute the Karen National Flag after surrendering to the KNLA troops today. Similarly, a Chin National Flag has raised at the India-Chin border after CNA took the SAC outpost.
SAC is losing and our revolution is winning.

[Scot Marciel @MarcielScot]

Latest Myanmar resistance offensive highlights the POSSIBILITY that the junta could collapse quickly. Not predicting that, but resistance and its friends around the world need to make contingency plans, including for humanitarian aid and restarting the economy.

[Justice For Myanmar @JusticeMyanmar]

ခင်ဖြူဝင်းဟာ လေကြောင်းပစ်ခတ်သတ်ဖြတ်မှုတွေမှာ စစ်အုပ်စု အသုံးပြုတဲ့ လေယာဉ်ဆီတွေကို တင်ပို့ပေးခြင်းကနေ ချမ်းသာလာသူပါ။ စင်ကာပူအစိုးရအနေနဲ့ စစ်ရာဇဝတ်မှုတွေမှာ အားပေးကူညီနိုင်အောင် ခင်ဖြူဝင်းအပေါ် ခွင့်ပြုထားတာကို ရပ်တန့်ပါ။ 👉🏽 https://t.co/VNC3DMD5FR
#DirtyOver30 #DoMoreSingapore

[♬ ♥ Panamaz♥♬ @weeeedpung]

พรุ่งนี้เราจะเจอกันหน้าหอศิลป์ 18.00 น.
#ม็อบ14กรกฎา66

[MilkTeaAlliance - Friends of Myanmar ||| @mtealliance]

Milk Tea Alliance stands in solidarity with the Thai people and echoes their call! The people of Thailand made their voices heard in the election. The Senate and constitutional court must respect the people's will.
#milkteaalliance #moveforwardparty #thailand #mta_form

[SEA Junction @SEAJunction]

The images featured in this article are sourced from our exhibition booklet titled "The Portrait of Detention: Drawings of Insein Prison by Maung Phoe," which is available at SEA-Junction.
https://t.co/YC7xLkeScE
#Insein #CrimesAgainstHumanity #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar #Myanmar

[Free Expression Myanmar @FreeExpressMm]

Dear @UNESCO – Your Guidelines for Regulating Digital Platforms carry significant risks.

Where are the safeguards?

We ask for a Human Rights Impact Assessment, incl. of civil society from authoritarian contexts.
#PushBackUNESCO #OpenLetter

https://t.co/CAT82GXcea

[Billy Ford @Billee4d]

New data from internal #Myanmar military meeting notes and directives, defector interviews, and casualty data shows the SAC much weaker than most analyst claim

@YeMyoHein5's latest for @USIP estimates #Myanmar military has just 70,000 combat troops

https://t.co/ISkDdTnRoj