PUBLISHED : 20 Aug 2023 at 17:07
A large number of red-shirt supporters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) from several provinces will travel to Don Mueang airport to greet former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on his return on Tuesday, their leaders said.
Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, his daughter and a Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate, posted on social media that her father was scheduled to land at Don Mueang airport on Aug 22 at 9am.
Wattanachai Suebsiribut, alias Jiew, chairman of the Red-shirt Group of Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima), said on learning of Thaksin’s schedule to arrive home, he and fellow red-shirts were very excited and delighted. They immediately contacted other members and planned to travel to Don Mueang airport in Bangkok.
He said at least 300 red-shirts had shown their intention of joining the trip.
They would converge at the CEO market in tambon Nong Kra Thum in Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima early on Monday night and start heading for Bangkok at 9pm, he said.
Most of them would travel in private vehicles and meet at an assembly point in Wang Noy district of Ayutthaya province where they would rest for a few hours.
Early on Tuesday morning, they would proceed to Don Mueang airport and plan to arrive there before 9am, Mr Wattanachai said.
Wattanachai Suebsiribut, alias Jiew, chairman of the Red-shirt Group of Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima) said at least 300 red-shirt members intended to greet Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday. (Photo: Prasit Tangprasert)
Saensuk Termsrisuk, 62, alias Jae Oy, another red-shirt member in Nakhon Ratchasima, said she has been waiting for the former prime minister’s return to Thailand and has kept following the news about him. On Tuesday, she would not miss the opportunity to welcome him back, she said. and would bring her shop’s popular dessert, chao kuay (black grass jelly in syrup) for him. Thaksin used to eat this dessert at her shop and liked it when he visited Nakhon Ratchasima in 2002, she said happily.
Mayuree Sawetasai, a red-shirt leader in Ayutthaya province, said about 500-800 local supporters would leave for Don Mueang on Monday night along with 200-300 red-shirts from the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom.
The red-shirts of Ayutthaya would prepare about 10,000 boxes of food and 20,000 bottles of drinking water to be distributed to people at the airport hoping to see greet the former prime minister on his arrival, she said.
Ms Mayuree said several other groups of red-shirts from other provinces would also gather at Don Mueang airport on Tuesday morning.
Thaksin’s party Thai Rak Thai and its successor parties won every election in Thailand since it came power to 2001 – except for the May 14 election this year, when Pheu Thai narrowly lost to the Move Forward Party.
Mayuree Sawetasai, a leader of the red-shirts of Ayutthaya province, said about 500-800 local red-shirts will leave for Don Mueang on Monday night along with 200-300 red-shirts from Nakhon Phanom to welcome Thaksin Shinawatra home. (Photo: Sunthorn Pongpao)