Myanmar ex‑dictator’s astrologer stabbed dead in Yangon

The Irrawaddy

Dr Pe Nyan, a famed astrologer and monk who once advised Myanmar’s former military ruler Than Shwe, was found stabbed to death at his monastery in Yangon on Thursday morning. He was 75.

Known in the monkhood as U Pyinya Wuntha, Pe Nyan was discovered lifeless inside his hermitage at Sandaku Monastery in Hmawbi Township. Police confirmed fatal stab wounds and said the case is now being handled directly by the Criminal Investigation Department.

A person close to the investigation told local media: “He was famous for astrology, and during Thein Sein’s time he was known to perform rituals to determine auspicious dates and times. The CID is pressing hard to catch those responsible.”

Trained as a physician, Pe Nyan became a central figure in Myanmar’s political life through his mastery of astrology and numerology. For decades, generals and presidents sought his guidance on auspicious dates for state projects and ceremonies. Than Shwe was said to consult him on bridges, dams and pagodas, while Thein Sein appointed him as one of five official presidential advisers.

In 2011, Pe Nyan advised Thein Sein to build the Thatta Thattaha Maha Bawdin Pagoda in Naypyitaw, a Bodhgaya‑style complex that became a symbol of the administration’s religious patronage.

Born in Tanintharyi Region, Pe Nyan studied under the revered Mahasi Sayadaw for 12 years before formally entering the monkhood in late 2011. He authored numerous books, founded Sandaku Monastery, and continued to serve on Myanmar’s official lunar calendar committee until his death.

For more than two decades, Pe Nyan stood at the intersection of astrology and state power, his monastery benefiting from donations by military elites. His killing has shocked Yangon’s religious community and raised questions about the motives behind the attack.

Police say investigations are ongoing.

-2026-07-05