 A business consultant to many international companies, he was Chairman of Maw Htoon and Partners Co., Ltd., Shambhala Tours Co., Ltd., Shambhala Financial Services and the Myanmar Thai Gypsum Co., Ltd.

At a lengthy press conference on 9 September 1989, State Law and Order Restoration Council First Secretary Brigadier General Khin Nyunt stated, "Fifty-two persons including Ye Htoon, who were in charge of the "underground youth organization" and who were trying to cause unrest in the country, were interrogated, and consequently documentary and other evidence (was) seized... We received information that a person called Ye Htoon, resident at 5/A Po Sein Road, Bahann Township, had been in contact with an organization called 'Da Nya Ta' (Alliance for Democratic Solidarity, Union of Burma) led by Thanmani Bo Khin Maung, and was aiding and abetting that group's work from Yangon since.Information was also received that he had formed the underground youth organization called FFB (National Freedom Fighters of Burma) and was striving to cause unrest in the country under his supervision; the National Intelligence Bureau called in and interrogated 52 persons including Ye Htoon beginning 31 July 1989.