by Hla Min
Updated : September 2026
Aung Thu Yein (SPHS63)
- Alias : A Nyo & Brownie Way
- Younger brother of Dr. Thet Htar Way
- Classmate at SPHS, I.Sc & RIT.
ATY (Standing 2nd from right)
St. Paul’s High School
- Classmates in Std VIII(A), IX(A) and X(A).
- In the lower classes, he was in Section (C). I was in Section (D).
- Stood 13th in the whole of Burma in the Matric exam of 1963.
- Won Collegiate Scholarship. Only 40 of the 100 scholarship awards were given to students from private schools.
- SPHS had five in the Top Five, seven in the Top Ten, and ten in the top Twenty. Khin Maung U (1st), Min Oo (2nd), Myo San (Freddie, 3rd), Nyunt Wai (Victor, 4th), Thein Wai (5th), Hla Min (7th), Aung Kyaw Zaw (Johnny, 9th), Maung Maung Kyi (11th), Aung Thu Yein (Brownie, 13th), Khin Maung Zaw (Frank, 17th).
- Has a soft heart.
- Before the Matric exam, he read several subjects to Nyunt Wai (Victor), who was sick & could not study. Brownie could take credit for Victor’s success. Victor stood 4th in Burma & became medical professor in IM & Malaysia.
Dr. Nyunt Wai wrote :
Being my best friend since standard IV, I could write volumes about him. For now only two points: (1) my friend was called “ANyo”(Brownie) because he had much darker complexion compared with his elder brother (very fair complexion); this contrast repeated in the case of his two sons; (2) the brown brothers passed away years ahead of their fairer counterparts.
University Days
- We attended the last ever I.Sc.(A) at Leik Khone in 1963. We took the Science Option.
- After a long closure citing Security Concerns following the July 7th Anniversary, a new Education System was established in November 1964.
- Admitted to the first ever 2nd BE at the Gyogone Campus.
- Chose Electrical Engineering as Major & EC (Electrical Communications) as Option.
- Played Soccer and Tennis
- Learned to smoke — trying to fend off mosquitoes in the RIT rest rooms.
- Learned social drinking from his classmates (e.g “Robert” Win Boh) after the last paper of the RIT final exam.
After Graduation
- One of 13 EC Graduates
- Had a successful career at MOC/Schlumberger, & several foreign assignments.
- Became a heavy smoker & drinker. Felt lonely after the loss of spouse & eldest son.
- Had minor & not-so-minor health problems.
- Quit drinking & smoking for some time, but he still felt the urge.
Last Meeting (in March 2012)
- I visited Yangon to take part in preparations for SPZP-2012 (scheduled for December).
- Zaw Lai came to see me. We decided to surprise Brownie. He trusted people. He did not lock his house. He closed the gate & boarded Zaw Lai’s car.
- Zaw Lai coaxed him to take a couple of drinks.
- That dinner at Zaw Lai’s apartment would be remembered as Brownie’s farewell.
- Brownie did not show up at the 69er breakfast gathering at Royal Rose. The gathering was cut short when we learned that Brownie was in ICU and that the 69er HCF organizers would go to see him.
- Kyaw Zin took Win Lwin, Khin Maung Bo & me to the ICU. Brownie’s son, who is a medical doctor, said that Brownie was not ready for another operation. We left with samvegha that he could very well be No 61 (on Aung Min’s GBNF list). Win Lwin told me to meditate and also “do something for yourself”.
- I spent several days at the Kaba Aye Sun Lun Gu Kyaung as a monk. Sayadaw U Wara (ChE70) was my preceptor.
- During that period, Brownie remained unconsciousness and he finally succumbed.
- My 69er friends notified Brownie’s demise to my siblings, but requested not to notify me at the monastery.
They did not want to disrupt my meditation practice.
May Brownie be able to share my merits.
Ah Hmya, ah hmya, ah hmya.
Updates
Samvegha
- Three Scholarship winners from SPHS63 — Brownie, Freddie & Maung Maung Kyi — are GBNF
- Five EC69ers — Kyaw Soe, Brownie, Chit Tin, Oo Kyaw Hla & Sai Aik Yee — are GBNF
- 145 69ers (over 45% of the Class) are GBNF. The GBNF list is maintained by Aung Min (M69) & team
- Several RIT EE Sayas — U Kyaw Tun, U Sein Hlaing, U Tin Swe, U Sein Win, U Thein Lwin, Dr. San Tint, U Soe Min, U Chin Way & U Nyi Nyi — are GBNF. For SPZP-2010, I wrote “A Sad & Short Clip : EE Sayas”. Two sayas — U Thein Lwin & U Nyi Nyi — have passed away since the article was published. Saya Dr. Ba Lwin (EE59, GBNF) did not appear in the Group Photo since he was on Deputation for postgrad studies.
