Myanmar Vice-President Henry Van Thio, who retained his position under the junta despite previously serving under the ousted National League for Democracy government, has resigned from his post due to “unspecified health reasons”.
The junta announced on Monday night that Henry Van Thio was allowed to retire on health grounds in accordance with the constitution.
The announcement didn’t provide details of his health condition or who would replace him.
Though the military arrested most other NLD government leaders following the February 2021 coup, it spared Henry Van Thio and continued to recognize him as vice-president while apparently keeping him under some form of house arrest. It is believed the junta left him in his position to present a facade of adherence to the constitution, and he did not engage much with the regime.
He was permitted to testify in court in December 2022 in defense of detained President U Win Myint and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
As vice-president, Henry Van Thio was supposed to attend meetings of the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC), but was absent from all such meetings until July 2023.
In January last year, he was hospitalized for a serious head injury. The 66-year-old purportedly suffered the injury in a fall at his residence in Naypyitaw.
The incident coincided with a meeting of the NDSC held on the eve of the second anniversary of the coup. His health was also cited as a reason for his not having attended other meetings.
He made his first appearance at a council meeting in July 2023, at which time the junta extended its state of emergency for a fourth time. The NLD expelled him from the party following his attendance at the meeting.
He was again present at the next NDSC meeting on Jan. 31, 2024, at which the council announced the latest extension of emergency rule.
An ethnic Chin Christian, Henry Van Thio served as a major in the Myanmar military. He was elected as an NLD member of Parliament in the 2015 general election before being appointed as second vice-president.
First Vice-President U Myint Swe, who was nominated by the military appointees in parliament in 2016 under the ousted NLD government, also retained his position and currently serves as acting president for the junta.
