Maung Htaw Lay (Burmese: မောင်ထော်လေး, pronounced: [màʊɴ tʰɔ̀ lé]; also spelled Maung Taulay; 1776–1869 or 1871) was Magistrate of Moulmein (Mawlamyaing) from 1838 to 1853 during the early British colonial period of Myanmar (Burma), and governor of Dala from 1805 to 1827 during the Konbaung period. Prior to his defection to the British in 1827, he had been a Royal Burmese Army commander, and had fought in the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–26). At Moulmein, Htaw Lay became one of the most senior indigenous officials in the colonial government. He moved to Yangon (Rangoon) in 1853 after the British annexation of Lower Burma. He successfully used his influence with the colonial government to stop the occupation forces' pillaging of Buddhist shrines around Yangon, and with the help of his son-