"Currently, the Thai government officially refers to our western neighbor as 'Myanmar,' whereas many Thai people are more accustomed to calling it 'Burma' instead. This article provides the answer to which name should be used, while also highlighting special cases where certain individuals and nations still insist on using the term 'Burma'—and the reasons behind it."

Understanding ASEAN | Should We Call It Burma or Myanmar?

Flip through an old Thai textbook, and you will undoubtedly find references to “Phama” (Burma) or the “Union of Burma.” Yet even today, Thai news outlets, television dramas, radio stations, and everyday citizens overwhelmingly favor the colloquial “Phama,” often remaining distant from the official name, “Myanmar.” This persistent dual identity leaves many wondering: which name is actually correct, and are they truly interchangeable?

1. Linguistic Origins: One Root, Two Registers

According to Bertil Lintner, a renowned authority on Southeast Asian history and politics, "Burma" and "Myanmar" are linguistically identical. Both words are derived from "Bamar," the name of the country’s dominant ethnic group. The difference lies not in their meaning, but in their level of formality:

• "Bama" or "Burma": The colloquial, spoken register used in everyday conversation.

• "Myanma" or "Myanmar": The literary, formal written register used in official and literary contexts.

For a clearer parallel in Thai, consider the difference between using "Muang Thai" (everyday speech) and "Prathet Thai" (official designation). From a purely linguistic standpoint, both terms have always shared the same root.

The political debate over which term to adopt intensified during the anti-colonial independence movement against the British. A February 1971 issue of the Burmese-language monthly journal The Guardian noted that Myanma historically referred strictly to the Bamar ethnic majority, whereas Bama was more inclusive of all ethnic groups. Paradoxically, upon gaining independence, the civilian government retained the English colonial name "Burma." Later administrations flipped this logic, asserting that "Myanmar" was the more inclusive, official name for the entire nation.

2. The 1989 Pivot and Aung San Suu Kyi’s Pragmatism

The definitive shift occurred in 1989, when the ruling military junta—the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)—officially changed the country's English designation from "Burma" to "Myanmar." The junta argued that "Burma" was a lingering shadow of British colonialism that overemphasized the Bamar majority, whereas "Myanmar" represented a unified, multi-ethnic state.

For decades, democracy icon and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi staunchly defied the military regime by refusing to use the new name. She argued that the junta had unilaterally altered the country's identity without a public referendum. During this era, sticking to "Burma" became a powerful international symbol of democratic resistance.

However, when the political landscape shifted and her National League for Democracy (NLD) won a historic landslide, Suu Kyi assumed the role of State Counsellor in 2016. With power came diplomatic pragmatism. Addressing the foreign diplomatic corps, she gracefully put the issue to rest:

“There is nothing in the constitution that says you must use any one of them... so you can use Burma or Myanmar as you please, because to me, both mean the same thing. But as the government, I will choose to use Myanmar.”

3. Geopolitics and the Resurgence of the "BURMA Act"

The choice between these two names remains deeply entangled with global geopolitics. While the United Nations (UN) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) immediately adopted "Myanmar" out of diplomatic protocol, Western nations have used the terminology as a political tool.

During the Obama administration, Washington fluidly alternated between the two names depending on the audience. President Obama would use "Myanmar" as a courtesy when hosting state visits with then-President Thein Sein, but would revert to "Burma" when standing alongside Aung San Suu Kyi.

Following the February 1, 2021 military coup, the naming dispute weaponized once more. To signal their refusal to recognize the military junta’s (the State Administration Council, or SAC) legitimacy, the U.S. and several Western allies intentionally reverted to "Burma" in official foreign policy documents. The most prominent modern example occurred in late 2022, when President Joe Biden signed the BURMA Act (Burma Unified Nations International Engagements Accountability Act) into law to provide non-lethal aid to pro-democracy resistance groups and ethnic armed organizations. Today, "Burma" remains a potent tool for diplomatic signaling on the world stage.

4. Thailand’s Standard: "เมียนมา" (Mian-ma) Without the Silent 'r'

Closer to home, Thailand experienced its own internal debate regarding spelling. For years, Thai media and government agencies widely spelled the name as "เมียนมาร์" (utilizing the Garan mark to imply a silent trailing 'r' sound based on the English spelling).

To resolve this, the Office of the Royal Society of Thailand (ORST) established official transliteration guidelines, mandating the spelling “เมียนมา” (Mian-ma, dropping the silent 'r' indicator). This adjustment aligns perfectly with the native phonetic pronunciation, which sounds like Mian-ma or Myah-ma and entirely lacks a final "R" consonant sound.

Consequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all Thai state apparatuses now officially recognize the country as “สาธารณรัฐแห่งสหภาพเมียนมา” (Republic of the Union of Myanmar).

Final Takeaway: What Should We Call Our Neighbor?

Ultimately, navigating the names of our neighbor involves balancing geopolitical awareness with cultural respect:

• In formal, written, and diplomatic arenas: Using "Myanmar" is diplomatically accurate, respects the country’s standing within ASEAN, adheres to official Thai linguistic guidelines, and shows an understanding of modern global standards.

• In historical, literary, or casual conversations: Using the traditional Thai word "Phama"—whether referencing Phama food, the Phama language, or traveling to Phama—remains entirely acceptable and universally understood. It is an indigenous term woven into the fabric of Thai history for centuries.

Pronouncing or writing the name correctly while understanding the history behind it is more than just a linguistic exercise. It is a sign of mutual respect toward Myanmar—not just as a immediate neighbor, but as a crucial partner sharing a common destiny within the ASEAN community.

7 February 2013

Chanchai Kumpunya

(ชาญชัย คุ้มปัญญา)

Latest update 30 June 2026

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References:

1. ทวีปเอเชีย: สาธารณรัฐแห่งสหภาพเมียนมาร์*, กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ, http://www.mfa.go.th/main/th/world/70/10257, access 5 February 2013.

2. Min Zin, Burma or Myanmar: The name game, July 5, 2012, http://transitions.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/07/05/burma_or_myanmar_the_name_game?wp_login_redirect=0

3. Mark Memmott, U.S. Policy Is To Say 'Burma'; Obama Also Uses 'Myanmar', NPR, November 19, 2012, http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/11/19/165462038/u-s-policy-is-to-say-burma-obama-also-uses-myanmar

4. นายกรัฐมนตรีและคณะ มีกำหนดการเยือนสาธารณรัฐแห่งสหภาพเมียนมาร์เพื่อติดตามความคืบหน้าการดำเนินงานเพื่อการพัฒนาเขตเศรษฐกิจพิเศษทวาย, รัฐบาลไทย, http://www.thaigov.go.th/th/governmental/item/73851, access 5 February 2013.

5. ข่าวสารนิเทศ: เครื่องบินสายการบินแอร์บากันของเมียนมาร์ลงจอดฉุกเฉิน, ศูนย์ข่าว, 25 ธ.ค. 2555, กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ, http://www.mfa.go.th/main/th/media-center/14/30918, access 5 February 2013.

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