Myanmar Junta Crony's Daughter Arrested at Yangon Airport

Myanmar's military dictatorship briefly detained Daw Nang Lang Kham, the eldest daughter of famed business mogul U Aung Ko Win, at Yangon International Airport on May 8.

Major Kyaw Myat Lin of the Office of Military Security Affairs held and questioned her for two hours as she prepared to fly from Myanmar to Thailand on a Myanmar Airways International (MAI) aircraft. She serves as the deputy CEO of Kanbawza Bank, one of Myanmar's largest private financial organisations.

Her father, U Aung Ko Win, formed the Kanbawza (KBZ) Group of Companies in 1994, which controls a wide range of businesses including mining, banking, real estate, aviation, and insurance.

MAI and Air KBZ are both owned by the KBZ Group. It's unknown why the dictatorship interrogated a relative of crony U Aung Ko Win, whose personal and commercial ties to successive military commanders are well-known.

According to the Irrawaddy, the regime has ordered that no wealthy individuals be permitted to exit the country through Yangon International Airport.
Daw Nang Lang Kham, who went to Thailand the next day and is currently in Bangkok, was detained by the regime, according to reports.

Major-General Zaw Min Tun, a junta spokesperson, denied holding Daw Nang Lang Kham in an interview with the BBC on Tuesday.

U Aung Ko Win is good friends with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, with whom he used to play golf.

Daw Nang Lang Kham was seen representing the KBZ Group of Companies at state events during the now-deposed National League for Democracy government, with since-deposed State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

The regime arrested U Chit Khine, the head of the Eden Group of Companies, and his son, U Win Min Khine, in April and accused them with bribery.