Letter from Taung-Gyi-Ko-Lone

U Nu or Thakin Nu was the first Prime Minister of Burma from 1984 to 1956, again from 1957 to 1958, and finally from 1960 to 1962.  Less than two years after his last election victory, U Nu was overthrown by a coup d'etat led by General Ne Win on 2 March 1962.  In 1969, U Nu left Burma for India and then U.K.  

In London, on 27 Aug 1969, U Nu held a press conference announcing he was the legal prime minister of Burma and he pledged to the people of Burma that he would not give up his struggle for democracy in Burma.  U Nu announced the formation of a new party, the Parliamentary Democracy party, to restore representative government in Burma. A party headquarters and a de facto government-in-exile were established in Thai border (Taung-Gyi-Ko-Lone).

The cover shown above is the philatelic fantasy mail sent from Taung-Gyi-Ko-Lone, United Front Headquarters in Eastern Burma.  The cover bares the symbol with Peacock in Octagram, with the text “Union Government” above the peacock and “1970-1972” below.  Above the symbol, the text Taung-Gyi-Ko-Lone appears in Burmese and English.  

The blue 5 Pyas Indian Roller Bird stamp of 1964 was affixed and cancelled with fancy cancellation of roller type dated 22 May 1972.  The texts on cancellation are Union General Post Office on the upper arch, BURMA G.P.O. on the lower arch and “Elected Government of the Union of Burma Liberated Zone” on the wavy roller lines.

As this is a fantasy cover, the postage seems not valid.  Thailand stamp was affixed for postage and cancelled at Maesot dated 7 June 1972 and Bangkok dated 10 June 1972 on the reverse.  It is clearly stated Philatelic Cover and addressed to French Embassy in Bangkok.  As U Nu’s government-in-exile was just a de-facto-government, its postage, postal services, cancellation were not officially accepted, but the letter was successfully delivered.  Likewise, Karen independent self-proclaimed states of Kawthoolei also issued its own postage stamps in 1986.