PM reaches out to poor on daring visit to Isan

NEWS Think

When US President Barack Obama wanted to put out feelers to his country's poor, he assigned Vice-President Joe Biden to tour the country. Not here in Thailand. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has himself taken on the task of reaching out to those in outlying areas.

He undertook the challenging mission with a visit to the northeastern region on Saturday, which is considered the political base of the opposition Puea Thai Party.

The Buri Ram roadshow was only the prime minister's second visit to the region since taking office. On his first tour a few months ago he paid homage to the late Grandma Niem in Ubon Ratchathani.

Saturday's visit reflected the Oxford-educated premier's need to try to win the hearts of the people in the country's largest constituencies.

While his clean image seems to contrast with that of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Democrats know well that a squeaky clean image alone will not be enough to dislodge Thaksin from the minds of voters in his political strongholds.

It is the northeastern and northern regions where the Democrats are the weakest. They are also where most seats are up for grabs in national elections.

Sweeping the South and Bangkok is never enough; it is turning the tables in Thaksin's own backyard that is crucial.

Mr Abhisit's first few months in office have been turbulent times during which he has been kept busy with more important matters. His opponents have seized on this opportunity to accuse him of neglecting the rural poor.

Undesirable political events have forced the Abhisit government to tackle this issue later. Restoring international confidence has been given priority.

But in the meantime, social divisions in the country have widened and become more complicated to solve than previously thought.

Following the Songkran riots, Mr Abhisit sought the understanding and sympathy of the public, asking them to allow his government at least six to eight months before judging him.

Now, he believes he cannot afford to waste any more time while his government's rating is in decline.

Neither can he dismiss Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, who is facing a terrorist charge stemming from his involvement in the blockade of the Bangkok airports late last year.

Nor can he while away his time weighing whether Democrat supporters were demoralised when he chose the Newin Chidchob-backed Bhumjaithai stronghold of Buri Ram as the first leg of his tour of the region.

The second leg of his tour will take him to Ubon Ratchathani and Amnat Charoen on July 23. A visit to the pro-Thaksin North is also in the pipeline.

The next big decision Mr Abhisit needs to make is how to disburse the 2010 fiscal budget and the laws applied to the borrowing of the 800 billion baht needed for the economic stimulus scheme.

Mr Abhisit must take the bull by the horns in dealing with medium- and long-term issues such as narrowing social and economic disparities, bringing together political parties on the constitution amendments,and thwarting attempts by anti-government groups to collect a million signatures to seek a royal pardon for Thaksin.