Orders, decorations, and medals of Burma
Encyclopedia
This article considers the military and civil orders
Order (decoration)
An order or order of merit is a visible honour, awarded by a government, dynastic house or international organization to an individual, usually in recognition of distinguished service to a nation or to humanity. The distinction between orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that most...

, decorations
Military decoration
A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform....

 and medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...

s of Burma.

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.

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
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

 and German Knight Cross of the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....

.

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:
Name Rank Serial No. Ethnicity Unit Awarding Order No. Date Battlefield Enemy Forces
Aye Cho
Aye Cho
Major Aung San Thuirya Aye Cho was the Bamar recipient of Aung San Thuriya Award, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of Myanmar Armed Forces and he is also the first recipient of Aung San Thuriya medal in Myanmar...

Major N/A Burman
Burman
Burman may refer to:People:*Barry Burman , English figurative artist*Ben Lucien Burman , American author and journalist*Bob Burman , American racecar driver...

No. 3 Union Military Police Battalion N/A 1948 Battle of Po Tha Aung Gon Communist Party of Burma (CPB)
Taik Chun
Taik Chun
Lieutenant Aung San Thuirya Thuya Taik Chun Lieutenant Taik Chun was the only Chin soldier to have received both Thuya and Aung San Thuriya Medal, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of Myanmar Armed Forces...

Lieutenant N/A Chin
Chin people
The Chin , known as the Kuki in Assam, are one of the ethnic groups in Burma. The Chins are found mainly in western part of Burma and numbered circa 1.5 million. They also live in nearby Indian states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur and Assam. Owing to Mizo influence and Baptist missionaries'...

No. 1 Chin Rifles Battalion N/A 18/04/1949 Battle of Insein Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)
Hla Thaung
Hla Thaung
Private Aung San Thuriya Hla Thaung of 3rd Burma Rifles Battalion was a recipient of Aung San Thuriya Award, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry and bravery in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of Myanmar Armed Forces...

Private 88865 Burman No. 3 Burma Rifles Battalion 10/A Htoo/50 29/04/1949 Battle of Daik-U Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)
Suk Bahadur Rai
Suk Bahadur Rai
Private Aung San Thuriya Suk Bahdur Rai was the only Gurkha to have received Aung San Thuriya medal. He was awarded this highest and most prestigious award for gallantry and bravery in the face of enemy that can be awarded to members of the Myanmar Armed Forces in 1951...

Private 01914 Gurkha
Burmese Gurkha
Gurkha People are a group of people of Gurkha ethnic origin living in the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar...

No. 4 Burma Rifles Battalion 14/A Htoo/51 05/1950 Battle of Tachileik
Tachileik
Tachileik , is a border town in the Shan State of eastern Burma . It is the administrative seat of Tachileik Township and Tachileik District.-History:...

 Highway
Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...

 (KMT)
Saw Myint Private 60603 Karen
Karen people
The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...

No. 1 Karen Rifles Battalion 3/A Htoo/52 28/06/1951 Battle of Yethogyi Road Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)
Saw Ba Yi Civilian - Karen - 3/A Htoo/52 28/06/1951 Battle of Yethogyi Road Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO)

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
Maha Thiha Thura
Maha Thiha Thura was commander-in-chief of the Burmese military from 1768 to 1776. Regarded as a brilliant military strategist, the general is best known in Burmese history for defeating the Chinese invasions of Burma...

 Medals has been awarded between 1949 and 2003.

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.

Civil awards

  • Thiri Thudhamma Thingaha
    Thiri Thudhamma Thingaha
    The Thiri Thudhamma Thingaha or the Order of Thiri Thudhamma is the highest Burmese commendation during AFPFL era. At that day, Burmese orders can be also use as title....

    (Order of Thiri Thudhamma)
  • Pyidaungsu Sithu Thingaha
    Pyidaungsu Sithu Thingaha
    The Pyidaungsu Sithu Thingaha is the highest Burmese order.The order of Pyidaungsu Sithu was founded on 2 September 1948 as a replacement for the British Order of Burma. The original order had been founded by Royal Warrant on 10 May 1940...

    (Order of Union of Burma)


In the Parliamentary Democracy Period after regaining Independence in 1948, the honorary titles and honorary medals in conformity with the independent and sovereign country were created to confer them on the outstanding persons.
From 1948 to 1978, the honorary titles and honorary medals conferred on the outstanding persons were as follows:-
  1. Independence Mawgunwin Title (First, Second and Third Classes)
  2. Thingaha Honorary Title
    1. Thudhamma Thingaha
      1. Agga Maha Thirithudhamma Title
      2. Thadoe Thirithudhamma Title
      3. Maha Thirithudhamma Title
    2. Pyidaungsu Sithu Thingaha
      1. Agga Maha Tharaysithu Title
      2. Thadoe Maha Tharaysithu Title
      3. Maha Tharaysithu Title
      4. Tharaysithu Title
      5. Sithu Title
  3. Honorary Title for Gallantry (It had not been awarded)
  4. Honorary Titles for Outstanding Performance
    1. Thiri Pyanchi Title
    2. Wunna Kyawhtin Title
    3. Alinka Kyawswa Title
    4. Theikpa Kyawswa Title
    5. Zeya Kyawhtin Title
  5. Medals for Gallantry
    1. Aung San Thuriya
    2. Thiha Thura
    3. Thura
    4. Aung San Medal
    5. Thiha Bala Medal
    6. Gallantry Medal
    7. Pyidaungsu Gold Medal
    8. Pyidaungsu Silver Medal
    9. Good Military Service Medal
    10. State Good Military Service Medal
    11. Good Police Service Medal (first and second classes)
  6. Medals for Outstanding Performances (It had not been awarded)


In 1978, the Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party
Burma Socialist Programme Party was formed by the Ne Win's military regime that seized power in 1962 and was the sole political party allowed to exist legally in Burma during the period of military rule from 1964 until its demise in the aftermath of the popular uprising of 1988.-History:The BSPP...

issued new provision on honorary titles and honorary medals in conformity with the Socialist System to amend the honorary titles and honorary medals awarded in the Parliamentary Democracy Period. According to new provision, the titles and medals were conferred on those who forged the Socialism, on those who made utmost efforts for improvement of the Socialist economic system and on those who made sacrifice of lives in safeguarding the nation.
The honorary titles and medals awarded from 1978 to 1988 were as follows:-
  1. Independence Mawgunwin Medal (First,Second and Third Classes)

  1. Honorary Title
    1. Tagun Group
      1. Aung San Tagun Title
      2. Pyidaungsu Tagun Title
      3. Tagun Title
    2. Zarni Group
      1. Lanzin Zarni Title
      2. Pyidaungsu Zarni Title
      3. Zarni Title
    3. Naingngan Gonyi Title (First and Second Classes) (no permission to use it as prefix or suffix to the name of the winner)
  2. Honorary Titles for Gallantry
    1. Aung San Thuriya Title
    2. Thiha Thura Title
    3. Thura Title
  3. Honorary Titles for Outstanding Performance (It had not been awarded)
  4. Medals for Gallantry
    1. Aung San Medal
    2. Thiha Bala Medal
    3. Gallantry Medal
    4. Ye Thiha Medal
    5. Ye Thura Medal
    6. Ye Bala Medal
  5. Medals for Outstanding Performance
    1. All-round Excellent Performance in Socialist Economy
    2. Excellent Performance in Agricultural Field (First, Second and Third Classes)
    3. Excellent Performance in Industrial Field (First, Second and Third Classes)
    4. All-round Excellent Performance in Socialist Democracy
    5. Excellent Performance in Administrative Field (First, Second and Third Classes)
    6. Excellent Performance in Social Field (First, Second and Third Classes)
    7. Ayaydawpon Medal
    8. Independence Organizing Medal
    9. Medal of Freedom
    10. Good Military Service Medal
    11. Good Public Medal
    12. Medal for those who made sacrifices
    13. State Military Service Medal
    14. Medal for Combating Foreign Enemy
    15. People’s Militia Combat Medal
    16. Ye Thurein Medal
    17. Ye Kyawswa Medal
    18. Ye Kyawthu Medal
    19. Good Police Service Medal
    20. State Police Service Medal
    21. Police Joint Combat Medal
    22. Public Good Service Medal
    23. Public Service Medal
    24. Rule of Law and Order Medal


The honorary titles and medals awarded from 1988 to 2009 were as same as from period of 1978 to 1988. There were no changes in honorary titles and medals and most were awarded in accord with the system practised in the period of Burma Socialist Programme Party.

In 2001, State Peace and Development Council added new categories of medals in the Medals for Outstanding Performance. They were:-
  • Excellent Performance in Arts (First, Second and Third Classes)
  • Excellent Performance in Science (First, Second and Third Classes)
  • Excellent Performance in Medical Field (First, Second and Third Classes)
  • Excellent Performance in Technology (First, Second and Third Classes)


In December of 2009, State Peace and Development Council issued the new provision on honorary tiles and honorary medals. The following are the current 16 honorary titles and 22 honorary medals and classes are awarded:-
  1. Thingaha Title
    1. Thudama Thingaha
      1. Agga Maha Thiri Thudama Title
      2. Thadoe Thiri Thudama Title
      3. Maha Thiri Thudama Title
    2. Pyidaungsu Sithu Thingaha
      1. Agga Maha Tharay Sithu Title
      2. Thadoe Maha Tharay Sithu Title
      3. Maha Tharay Sithu Title
      4. Tharay Sithu Title
      5. Sithu Title
  2. Gallantry Title
    1. Aung San Thuriya Title
    2. Thiha Thura Title
    3. Thura Title
  3. Title for Outstanding Performance
    1. Thiri Pyanchi Title
    2. Zeya Kyawhtin Title
    3. Wunna Kyawhtin Title
    4. Alinka Kyawswa Title
    5. Theikpa Kyawswa Title
  4. Gallantry Medal
    1. Aung San Medal
    2. Thiha Bala Medal
    3. Gallantry Medal
    4. Ye Thiha Medal
    5. Ye Thura Medal
    6. Ye Bala Medal
  5. Medal for Outstanding Performance
    1. Myanmar Military Service Thingaha Medal
    2. Good Military Service Medal
    3. Good Public Medal
    4. State Military Service Medal
    5. Medal for Thwarting Foreign Enemy
    6. People’s Militia Combat Medal
    7. Ye Thurein Medal
    8. Ye Kyawswa Medal
    9. Ye Kyaw Thu Medal
    10. Good Police Service Medal
    11. State Police Service Medal
    12. Myanmar Joint Police Combat Medal
    13. Good Public Service Medal
    14. Public Service Medal
    15. Rule of Law and Order Medal
    16. State Peace Medal
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