Local authorities in Lashio, Shan State North, have begun to construct concrete walls and barbed wire fences around the house of Dr Sai Mawk Kham who became Vice Preident #2 of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (RUM), the new name for Burma, on Saturday 5 February, according to sources.

“I saw piles of bricks in front of his house in Longlaw (Quarter #7),” said a local source.

Sai Mawk Kham, 61, has now moved into his new residence in Naypyitaw. One source swore he found Sai Mawk Kham already moving in on 4 February, after he was nominated as one of the three presidential candidates.

Sai Mawk Kham won 140 votes against his rival Dr Aye Maung on 4 February. But he received only 75 votes the next day.

“I think he’s going to become the carrot and Tin Aung Myint Oo (who became Vice President #2) the stick of Thein Sein (President),” predicted one of his former associates.

According to a Shan monk from Lashio, Sai Mawk Kham, after he had made up his mind to run a seat in the National Assembly under the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) ticket, made his announcement to the Shan clergy. “For my family’s sake, I’m going to join the USDP, knowing fully well that my friends will not like it,” he reportedly said. “But if I’m to be blessed with an important position, I will do my best to promote the Shan literary and cultural heritage.”

“Now, it’s time we wait and see whether he will keep his promise or if it’s just hot air,” commented the clerical source.

Dr Sai Mawk Kham, a native of Muse on the Sino-Burma border, has a wife, Nang Shwe Hmone, two daughters and one son. Until lately, he was working in a clinic “Yuli Kha” in Lashio. He was also the chairman of the local Shan literary and cultural society.