Thaksin Shinawatra will inspect flooding in Chiang Rai on Tuesday in what will be his first visit upcountry since his daughter was approved as prime minister.
Thaksin confirmed on Monday his trip to the northern province after arriving at Pheu Thai Party headquarters, reportedly to lunch with Prime Minister Paetongtarn. "I will be visiting villagers," he said when asked about the planned trip.
His one-day visit includes a trip to Theung district to give them relief bags and talk to local community leaders, according to Matichon online.
Chiang Rai is one of the northern provinces severely damaged by flooding. It once was one of Pheu Thai's strongest political bases, but in the last two elections it lost some seats to candidates of the Move Forward Party, the predecessor of the People's Party.
Thaksin's upcountry visit will be the first since Ms Paetongtarn became prime minister. It takes place as a poll carried out by the National Institute of Development Administration issued on Sunday showed most people did not believe she could emerge from the shadow of her father in administering the country.
