Maha Thray Sithu U Thant (January 22nd 1909 - November 25th 1974), was a Burmese politician and the third general secretary of the the United Nations.

Born on January 22nd, 1909 in Pantanaw, in Burma, Thant made its studies at the university of Rangoon and became professor (1928 -1931) then directing (1931 -1947) of Pantanaw National High School. In 1947, after the Burmese constituent assembly had voted independence with respect to the the United Kingdom, Thant was director of the press in the provisional government. After Burmese independence (1948), he became director of broadcasting (1949), secretary with the ministry for Information (1949 - 1953) and secretary of the Prime Minister U Naked (1953 - 1957). In 1952, he was also member of the Burmese delegation in the United Nations. He became the permanent representative of his country to UNO in 1957. With died of the general secretary of UNO, Dag Hammarskjöld, in 1961, Thant were elected to finish the mandate of this one, and were re-elected in 1966; he resigned in December 1971.

During ten last years with the head of UNO, Thant caused admiration for its integrity and its talent of patient and subtle negotiator. He died on November 25th, 1974 with New York. Its mortal remains, repatriated in Burma, became the object of a fight between the Burmese students and the military government of Win, which seized some and buried it in a tomb sealed.