BANGKOK: Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra visited a Bangkok temple on Thursday (Mar 14) in his first public appearance since being freed early from a jail sentence for graft and abuse of power.
The controversial billionaire, twice elected premier and ousted in a 2006 military coup, prayed at the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine before flying by private jet to Chiang Mai for a three-day trip.
After landing in Chiang Mai – his home city and traditional political power base – at around 9.40am local time he was greeted by his younger sister and her husband before heading to a park and greeting supporters.
“Seventeen years I’ve been waiting for him,” Samniang Kongpolparn, who travelled from northeastern Surin province, told AFP at the park.
Alongside him was Bangkok taxi driver Paisal, who had journeyed to see the former politician he called “the PM of my heart”.
Thaksin planted a sapling at the park to mark his visit, and released fish into a lake as a Buddhist act of “merit-making”.
While in the north, Thaksin will meet family and supporters and pray at the graves of his relatives.
Earlier, scores of media camped out in front of the Bangkok shrine where Thaksin, wearing a blue shirt and a neck brace, prayed from around 5am.
He was accompanied by his daughter Paetongtarn, now head of his Pheu Thai party, and her husband.
Source: CNA
