Henry Van Thio

Henry Van Thio (; born 9 August 1958) is a Burmese politician who was the second vice president of Myanmar from 30 March 2016 to 22 April 2024. He previously served as a member of Amyotha Hluttaw (House of Nationalities). In the 2015 election, he contested and won the Chin State No. 3 constituency for a seat in the country's upper house.

After the February 2021 coup d'état, Van Thio was believed to have been placed under house arrest by the military junta whilst continuing to be recognized as vice president. Van Thio was announced by the junta to have resigned as vice president for "health reasons" on 22 April 2024.

Early life and military career Henry Van Thio is an ethnic Chin who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in geography from Mandalay Arts and Science University, with a graduate diploma in law from Rangoon Arts and Science University. He previously served as a major in the Burmese Army.

Vice presidency On 10 March 2016, he was nominated as one of the vice presidents of Myanmar by National League for Democracy.

On 11 March 2016, 148 MPs nominated him as one of the vice presidents of Myanmar from the House of Nationalities and on 15 March 2016, he received 79 votes out of 352 in the Assembly of the Union, becoming the Second Vice President of Myanmar. He was sworn in on 30 March 2016.

After the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état on 1 February, Van Thio was believed by analysts to have been placed under house arrest by the military junta whilst still being recognized as vice president under the Constitution of Myanmar. In January 2023, he was allegedly hospitalised after falling at home.

Personal life He is married to Anna Shwe Lwan (also spelled Anna Sui Hluan) and has three children. When his wife gained a scholarship to study theology at the University of Otago, the family moved to New Zealand to live in the Dunedin suburb of North East Valley in 2011.

He is a devout Christian, making him the first non-Buddhist to hold the office of the Vice President of Myanmar. He is a member of the United Pentecostal Church International.