Taw Phaya Galay

Six siblings of Taw Phaya Galay

Taw Phaya Galay was born on 30 July 1926 in Rangoon, British Burma to parent Ko Ko Naing, a former monk and Princess Myat Phaya Galay who was the fourth daughter of King Thibaw and Chief Queen Supayalat.[1] He attended St Patrick School in Moulmein and later moved to St Paul School in Yangon. Later, he left St Paul to attend the famous national school Myoma Kyaung. He failed his 1946 matriculation examination.

Taw Paya Galay and his brothers actively supported Thakin Kodaw Hmaing, the revered "father of nationalism". Taw Paya Galay became an active member of the underground resistance before and during WWII, first against the British and then the Japanese.[2]

In 1948, he established and served as a director at the Thibaw Commercial Syndicate, one of the few at the time that were truly owned by the Myanmar, for most companies were owned by Indian entrepreneurs with Myanmar citizens as a front. He often flew to Tokyo and Hong Kong to oversee sales, and by the early 1960s his business was booming, with export contracts in rice worth K30 million.[2]

In 1950, he established the Union of Burma Exporters Oriental Corporation also becoming its Director. Between 1955-1957, he served as an organizer at the Headquarters, Trade Union Congress (Burma) (TUCB). Between 1957 and 1964, he served as Central Executive Committee Member of the Internal Peace League, the World Peace Congress (Burma), and the Asia-Africa Consolidation Organization as treasurer, and for the National Committee against Kuomintang Invasion and Imperialism.

In 1961 he worked for the China-Myanmar Friendship Association, and the Korea-Myanmar Friendship Association. In 1961, he served as the Commerce Mission of Government of Burma to China and North Korea in 1960 and to China in 1961. He also travelled to Hong Kong, India, Japan and Thailand. In 1964 he was the administration manager at MIEc headquarters but resigned the following year by force because of his moral character.

In 1988, during the countrywide uprising against the socialist regime and the poverty it had created, he became a patron of a powerful political assembly known "A Myo Thar Naing Ngan Yay Tat Paung Su". As a result he was sent back to Insein Prison in 1989 at the age of 63, and was released in 1992.[2]

In 1945, he married Ma Khin May. Their only daughter Devi Thant Sin was born in 1947.[2]