Orders, decorations, and medals of Burma

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This article considers the military and civil orders, decorations and medals of Burma.

Contents 1 Military 1.1 Order of the Star of the Revolution 1.2 Aung San Thuriya 1.3 Thiha Thura 1.4 Thura 2 Civil awards 3 References

[edit] Military

[edit] Order of the Star of the Revolution

This award was for participation in both military and civil struggles of Burma's independence. This award is granted for service in three different periods:

1. 8 January to 26 July 1942
2. 27 July 1942 to 26 March 1945
3. 27 March to 15 August 1945

Participants in all three periods were awarded the First Class, participants in only two periods received the second class and participants in only in one period were awarded the third class. The provision of this award can be passed down to direct heirs of the original participant and to be worn, multi-generationally, in this fashion similar to the awards bestowed by the ancient Myanmar kings to their loyal subjects. It was established in 1953 and the last Order of the Star of Revolution was awarded on 24 November 1986.

[edit] Aung San Thuriya

Instituted in 1948, the Aung San Thuriya medal is the highest recognition for valour and gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the Myanmar Armed Forces of any ranks in any services. This is the highest military award in Myanmar and it is equivalent to British Victoria Cross and German Knight Cross of the Iron Cross.

The decoration is a one and half inch (3.8 cm) stainless steel stylized sun of sixteen rays. Suspended by an integral straight bar suspender. The name of the recipient name and year of award is engraved on the reverse and the sun was held by two ribbons.

To this day, there have only been 6 Aung San Thuriya medals has been awarded and only one of the recipient is civilian. The recipients are^[1]:

Name	Rank	Serial No.	Nationality	Unit	Awarding Order No.	Date	Battlefield	Enemy Forces
Aye Cho	Major	N/A	Bamar	No. 3 Union Military Police Battalion	N/A	1948	Battle of Phothar Aung Gone	Communists Party of Burma (CPB)
Taik Chun	Lieutenant	N/A	Chin	No. 1 Chin Rifle Battalion	N/A	18/04/1949	Battle of Insein	Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)
Hla Thaung	Private	88865	Bamar	No. 3 Burma Rifle Battalion	10/A Htoo/50	29/04/1949	Battle of Diek Oo	Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)
Sub Bahardu Yine	Private	01914	Gurkha	No. 4 Burma Rifle Battalion	14/A Htoo/51	05/1950	Battle of Tachileik Highway	Kuomintang (KMT)
Saw Myint	Private	60603	Karen	No. 1 Karen Rifle Battalion	3/A Htoo/52	28/06/1951	Battle of Yay Thoe Gyi Road	Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)
Saw BaYi	Civilian	-	Karen	-	3/A Htoo/52	28/06/1951	Battle of Yay Thoe Gyi Road	Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)

[edit] Thiha Thura

The decoration is a bronze stylized Burmese lion, with the name of the decoration written in Burmese "Thiha Thura" on the scroll below. The ribbon is 1.25 inches (32 mm), bright red with yellow edges or red with dark green centre stripes.

A total of 46 Thiha Thura Medals has been awarded between 1949 and 2003^[2].

[edit] Thura

A silver depiction of a stylized rising sun with the central sun in red enamel. The ribbon is 32 mm, bright red with yellow edges and a yellow center stripe.

To date, a total of 517 Thura medals has been awarded.

[edit] Civil awards

• Thiri Thudhamma Thingaha (Order of Thiri Thudhamma)
• Pyidaungsu Sithu Thingaha (Order of Union of Burma)

[edit] References