The grandson of notorious Myanmar dictator Than Shwe appears to have a new hobby: making music videos. Not singing. Just, er, miming.
In a new 2-minute film that has gone viral on social media, Nay Shwe Thway Aung, clad in leather pants and a leather jacket, lip-synchs along to Enrique Iglesias’ ‘Forgiveness’.
Why? Well, it’s probably not a subtle attempt at repentance for the abuses of his grandfather’s rule. It seems the twenty-something is just a huge Enrique fan.
“Cos I like Enrique so much…,” he wrote, introducing the video, which features a storyline involving script-reading, auditions and competition for a lost love.
The film has been watched more than 240,000 times since it was posted on Thursday, with some viewers apparently believing he sang the song.
“Can’t wait to see full version, great vocals,” wrote Khin Susu Tun.
Judging from the effusive comments, we can expect more ‘covers’ on the way.
Nay Shwe Thway Aung is no stranger to publicity. Widely followed on Facebook, his posts give a glimpse of the privileged lifestyle of Myanmar’s young elite.
He was the center of a social media storm in November last year after he posted a photo appearing to show that he was voting in the general election from the comfort of his own couch. The following month, after the opposition thrashed the military-backed party at the polls, he acted as an intermediary between his grandfather and Aung San Suu Kyi.
Than Shwe ruled Myanmar with an iron fist between 1992 and 2011 and is still believed to wield significant influence over the military.
He presided over some of the worst abuses of the former ruling military junta, before retiring in 2011, ahead of the transition to a semi-civilian government.
