Normally, if a region or state has more than 0.1 percent of the country's population (51,000 people) from a single ethnic group a minister for that group's ethnic affairs will be appointed.

The Mon Population Data Project’s committee was founded by respected Mon civil society organisations in 2014. The committee has gathered data on the more than 60,000 Mon residents living in Tanintharyi Region. However, the Ministry of Immigration and Population does not recognize the data and has not authorised the appointment of a Mon minister of ethnic affairs at the next election.

Nai San Tin, the joint-secretary (1) of the All Mon Regions Democracy Party (AMDP) said: “We had planned to contest for the Minister of Ethnic Affairs in Tanintharyi Region because there are more than 60,000 [Mon people]. But, now we are not happy as it has been announced that there will be no representation for Mon ethnics [in Tanintharyi Region].”

During the 2010 elections, according to data on the Mon population stated by the Ministry of Immigration and Population,  Tanintharyi Region only held slightly more than 40,000 Mon people, so a minister of Mon ethnic affairs was not appointed for the region.

At present, according to the government the only state or region outside Mon State that has a large enough population of ethnic Mon inhabitants to justify the appointment of a Mon ethnic affairs minister is Karen State, with an ethnic Mon population of over 60,000 people.

Karen State was also the only state outside Mon State to have a Mon ethnic affairs minister appointed at the 2010 elections.

Edited in English by Mark Inkey