Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat yeaterday insisted he was not an ingrate and praised his brother-in-law and ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra as a good man regardless of what has befallen him.
"San Kamphaeng is the birthbplace of Thaksin and I have made my mark in life because of San Kamphaeng support," he said to a crowd of cheering villagers during his visit to Chiang Mai, the hometown of his wife Yaowapa and her brother Thaksin.
He said he owed Thaksin a debt of gratitude for helping him get a head start in life and that he shared the home town's sentiment of having good thoughts about Thaksin.
The prime minister took the trip to pay respect to the Shinawatra ancestors and had a busy day attending several functions.
After an overnight stay at his Mae Rim home, he began the day around 7 am by welcoming well-wishers who congratulated him on his appointment as prime minister.
An hour later he took, he took questions from reporters. He said he was legally a resident of Chiang Mai as his official domicile is located in Mae Rim district.
Commenting on the opposition movement led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, he said he had assigned Deputy Prime Miminster Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to negoiate with the PAD.
He said street protests had tarnished the country's reputation and that he would try to find a resolution that would save face for all parties concerned.
Source: The Nation 3rd October 2008
Ok, the report goes on to say that he's going to a high level meeting today at parliament to get things back on course, went to a temple, encountered a protester or two who shook plastic clapping hands(symbol of PAD protest), a few PAD protesters rocked up at the restaurant he was going to and got 'carted' off etc.
All I can Say is 'WOW!', didn't know that. Doesn't seem like the thing to do or does it just show how hopelessly divided the country is?
All comment are welcome.

