Pantanaw is a town in the Ayeyarwady Region of south-west Myanmar. It is the seat of the Pantanaw Township in the Maubin District. It is the hometown of former Secretary-General of the United Nations U Thant, who was known in Burmese naming convention as Pantanaw U Thant. The renowned modern painter Ba Nyan was also born in Pantanaw. Former Prime Minister U Nu was a superintendent of schools in Pantanaw Township at the urge of his friend U Thant who was a headmaster at the school in Pantanaw.