Sources close to the regime in Naypyidaw told DVB that the police in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mandalay Region, filed a charge against Thet Ko Ko, also known as Thamee Soe, under Section 505(A) of the Penal Code on Oct. 13 – one day after her arrest at the Yangon International Airport. Pyin Oo Lwin is located 419 miles (674 km) north of Yangon.
A source close to the regime administration in Yangon told DVB on the condition of anonymity that Thamee Soe shared a social media post comparing the styles of jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, who she wrote dressed elegantly during her overseas trips, with regime leader Min Aung Hlaing’s wife Kyu Kyu Hla, who she said dressed in an old fashioned way that has brought disgrace to the image of Myanmar abroad.
“She also criticized military officials,” the source added.
Thamee Soe runs a social media account named “Shwe Thet,” where she sells cosmetic products to over 100,000 followers on Facebook. She is the wife of a retired Myanmar military officer. They live in the U.S.
An unnamed source close to Thamee Soe told DVB on the condition of anonymity that she had been previously charged under Section 66(D) of the Penal Code for defamation on Oct. 5. Her family members had been detained and released by police in North Dagon Township, Yangon Region, the source added.
Thamee Soe could face a maximum punishment of six years in prison if convicted on both the incitement and defamation charges. She had returned to Myanmar on Aug. 22, but had used her social media account to criticize regime officials, businesspeople, and celebrities, following the 2021 military coup, the source told DVB.
