Fugitive former PM still a hero in Thailands poor north-east

By Rachel O"Brien, in Udon Thani for AFP Published: 9:27AM GMT twenty-five February 2010

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A believer of Thaksin Shinawatra is overcome by tension when he hugs her during a revisit to Chiang Mai range in northern Thailand. Photo: AFP/MADAREE TOHLALA

Down a rough tillage lane in Thailand"s bankrupt north-east, Pichit Peema is entertainment furnish for his abounding internal business, set up 7 years ago underneath a encampment loan scheme.

Previously a struggling rice farmer, he used the process introduced by Thaksin Shinawatra, the suspended budding minister, to begin a mushroom-growing operation, and can right afar pick up up to 200 kilogrammes (440 pounds) a day to sell opposite Udon Thani province.

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"My hold up is improved - I can give the income to my young kids so they can connoisseur and have a improved life," pronounced Pichit, 47, adding proudly that his eldest son is a competent electrical operative in Bangkok.

Taking a mangle by his brightly embellished new residence surfaced with a outrageous heavenly body dish, he praised Thaksin, who was inaugurated twice, for bettering his lot with the low-interest lending programme.

"Thaksin was a good amicable operative since he helped bad people," he pronounced of the telecoms tycoon, who was deposed in a manoeuvre in 2006 and right afar lives abroad, especially in Dubai, to shun a two-year prison tenure for graft.

The argumentative former PM continues to be a source of low groups in Thailand, where his countless critics credit him of corruption, drawn out cronyism and grave human rights abuses during a scandalous "war on drugs".

But Pichit is one of the "Red Shirts" - the brightly-dressed, pro-Thaksin organisation formulation their subsequent mass anti-government protests after a justice statute due Friday on either to seize the billionaire"s assets, that were solidified after the coup.

Here in Thaksin"s building - the not asked north-eastern segment of Isaan, the lowest piece of Thailand - his supporters contend he was the initial budding apportion to scrupulously residence the needs of the tillage populace.

"In the epoch we have not seen a chairman similar to Thaksin before. He is a favourite for us," pronounced Tongsri Yothkeaw, 55, who functions as a rice rancher and on her family"s small flower-growing operation in the encampment of Huay Samhan, additionally in Udon Thani.

Pointing to her throat, she explained that a thyroid operation cost her less than one US dollar interjection to the supposed 30-baht health caring intrigue introduced by Thaksin after he came to energy in 2001.

"He used to assistance us. I wish him to come back," she said. "The supervision doesn"t assistance us any more... We are really frightened about the economy nowadays."

While cultivation is the main mercantile wake up in Isaan, that is tucked afar from Thailand"s frequented traveller trail, tillage has been hindered by the especially arid, sandy land that allows for fewer rice harvests than in alternative areas.

Analysts contend a default of peculiarity education, record and infrastructure has additionally been instrumental in the misery of Isaan"s people.

Thaksin appealed to these marginalised rank and file not usually with his populist policies but additionally in his character of leadership, according to historian Chris Baker, who has created at length on the former premier.

"Here was this man who appeared in his open-necked shirt, not really smart, entrance to the encampment and saying, "Tell me what you wish me to do"," pronounced Baker.

"This was a really lenient thought in a nation where politicians have tended to be rather remote," he said.

While the stream budding minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has confirmed a small of Thaksin"s policies, Baker pronounced he has returned to the older, some-more isolated character of governance - usually portion to make firm Thaksin"s popularity.

"He was a small bit hurtful but he worked some-more for the people," pronounced Bangkok food businessman Yoon Poodindan, 47, one of the capital"s most mercantile migrants from the north-east.

The refugee ex-PM"s supporters have vowed to hold uninformed protests in mid-March until they see the behind of Abhisit"s government, that took energy in Dec 2008 after the tumble of the previous, pro-Thaksin administration.

The Red Shirts contend they are campaigning opposite the energy of Thailand"s chosen - together with armed forces and house officials - whom they credit of ousting inaugurated governments and fortifying confirmed amicable inequalities.

"I think the Red Shirt transformation is not about Thaksin alone, it"s for equivalence in society," pronounced Samreng Mahakor, 40, a Bangkok motorcycle cab motorist additionally from Isaan.

"Red Shirts have been treated with colour as second-class people. Even if Thaksin dies, we won"t stop until we get fairness," he said.