BANGKOK – Its popularity in Myanmar and other Asian countries such as neighboring Thailand was not enough to protect 24-year-old actor and singer Paing Takhon, who ended up in a cell of the Burmese military regime at dawn today. He is one of the most excellent names in the list of 120 celebrities to be arrested by the military to show that they do not intend to stop in front of anyone, not even the VIPs of the public.
The list includes in addition to Paing several popular singers such as Lgbt Lin Lin and Chit Thu Wai, who is also a doctor, actress Phway Phway, winner of three Myanmar academy awards, colleagues Eaindra Kyaw Zin and her husband Pyay Ti Oo, both award-winning, model May Myat Noe. But there are also other theater artists, personalities from literature and journalism, accused of “disseminating information that undermines the stability of the country and the rule of law.
Since February, Paing had publicly portrayed the Hunger Games rebels with three fingers raised as well as participating with a megaphone and a helmet in one of the protests against the coup that have been going on for two months amid unprecedented violence and almost 600 deaths in all. Myanmar.
They caught him at dawn at his mother’s home in North Dagon, a suburb of Yangon, knowing full well the effect the news would have on social media. Paing has a million followers on Instagram and Facebook sites and every post soon goes viral, like when he posted his shaved photo in a monk’s robe during a 10-day spiritual retreat, in contrast to the usual image of a sex symbol from the long hair and big body tattoos. A psychology student, Paing started climbing the catwalks of fashion shows 7 years ago before landing in the cinema in 2017 with a blockbuster film. Since then he has played various roles that have made him popular among many young Chinese as well, as well as becoming the commercial face of “brands” such as the Oppo mobile phone and some drinks, as well as the Burmese “tourism ambassador” to Thailand.
But since the first days of the repression he has made no secret of his desire to use the following he obtained on social media for the cause of democracy in his country. “Help us stop a crime against humanity,” he wrote in a February post on Instagram, which has been inactive for days. Many were worried about him ever since, evidently already aware of the risks he was running, he wrote one of the last social messages on the eve of his arrest. “I have not been well for many days – he said – I prayed every time to Buddha for good health and to obtain peace in Myanmar as soon as possible”.
The most famous actor and satirical composer in the country, Maung Thura, 60, known as Zarganar, is among the personalities of entertainment and culture arrested in these days – in all there are almost 3000 political prisoners since the start of the coup d’état – is also the most famous actor and satirical composer in the country, Maung Thura, 60, known as Zarganar . His works and texts against the dictatorship have made him the most biting voice of dissent since the days of the first revolt movement in 1988. Over the years he has been increasingly involved in humanitarian activities and in 2008 he was arrested for the sole fault of having organized aid to the victims of cyclone Nargis neglected by the military.
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