CNI News
11 September 2025
For the upcoming general election in Myanmar, the Shan and Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), also known as the White Tiger Party, plans to support each of its candidates with 500,000 kyats, by using bank loans as well as personal funds, according to the party chairman Sai Ai Pao.
The SNDP, widely referred to as the White Tiger Party, has registered to contest nationwide.
As such, the party needs to open offices in 110 out of Myanmar’s 330 townships and field more than 400 candidates. Each candidate must also pay a deposit of 500,000 kyats to the Union Election Commission (UEC), in addition to campaign expenses.
SNDP chairman Sai Ai Pao told CNI News that the party will provide each candidate 500,000 kyats, funded through bank loans and personal contributions.
Sai Ai Pao and political party leaders
“It has been a long time since we started preparing. Of course, there are some difficulties in every central process. The financial difficulties—we solve them by taking out loans. We support each candidate with 500,000 kyats. We manage with bank loans and also invest from our own pockets. The government said it would take responsibility for party security, so we rely on the security provided by the government. This time, voters will mainly look at the party and the candidate. Since it’s the online era, we’ll rely heavily on online campaigning.”, he said.
Currently, political parties planning to contest the election in Myanmar are facing challenges such as difficulties in fielding enough candidates, establishing sufficient offices, financial constraints, and security concerns.
According to the Union Election Commission (UEC), candidate application lists will be scrutinized from September 18 to October 4.
Sai Ai Pao said that his party has almost completed opening the required offices, but in some areas where security is weak, they might need an extension of time.
Sai Ai Pao and political party leaders
“We’ve already completed much of the work in Bago, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, and Shan State. Mon State is also almost complete. Because of the distance, Tanintharyi and Kayin still need more work. If the deadline is extended for those two areas, it will be easier for us. Tanintharyi is especially difficult. In some places, there’s little security—even in the Mandalay Region, places like Natogyi, Myingyan, Taungtha are not convenient to travel. In Sagaing Region, we’ll only contest in three constituencies. Traveling to Shwebo is very difficult, but we’re still trying. We’ve already completed two constituencies and opened offices. In Sagaing and Monywa, it’s finished. Starting today, we’re paying deposits and swearing oaths. Yangon Region is also nearly completed.”, he said.
The upcoming election is scheduled to be held in phases between December 28, 2025, and January 2026 due to security threats.
Myanmar’s very first general election, held between June 1951 and February 1952, was also conducted in stages because of insecurity and instability in some regions.
