We left the third interview with Captain KT Lwin in Rotterdam in 1952 taking delivery of the steamship Pyidawtha (see https://i.pinimg.com/originals/63/49/7d/63497db1c18bd22337ad2a8c6bf6b4be.jpg) , Burma's first commercial steamship to be owned by the Government post independence. He sailed on this vessel for a couple of years before becoming the country's first Burmese Harbour Pilot. He then became Harbour Master, then Marine Superintendent of Burma's Five Star Line (the nation's commercial shipping line est 1959 with Israeli management - https://www.facebook.com/Myanma-Five-Star-Line-102752987844185/), then the founding Managing Director of the Institute of Marine Technology.  He retired from this role in 1974 having served the Government for 30 years from the time he joined the Navy as a seventeen year old in 1944.
He then started his private sector career which included time in Singapore and Thailand where he had several roles including working for a Singapore company chartering and crewing vessels, for Duta Marine (a Thai company) and for SeaTran (another Thai company) before retiring due to ill health in 1984 and moving to Australia.  He kept himself busy importing orchids from Thailand but gave that up after 6 months as the business was beset with problems. With his health recovered he focused on building up his own family company, Mariner Shipping Services, which provides Burmese crew to many different shipping companies.  Whilst at the time of my interview he remains its largest shareholder he handed over the "reins" to other family members many years ago.
The interview ends with 94 year old KT providing some life and health advice and, in particular, to those listeners over 50.

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Peter Church

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