Khamta Kaenboonjan, 55, is secretary-general of the Caravan of the Poor.

Since 1989 Khamta has travelled to Bangkok seeking solutions to the problems farmers encounter in the northeastern province of Buri Ram. He has dealt with everything from land ownership disputes to arguments over cassava crops.

Having enjoyed success negotiating on the behalf of farmers, he served as secretary-general of the Assembly of Northeastern Minor Farmers, replacing Bumrung Kayotha, from 1996 to 2000.

Khamta said farmers had asked him to lead the caravan to Bangkok to support Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Having consulted his peers, Khamta decided the government's policies were practical and had benefited the poor.

Atthawit Singlor, 39, is the deputy secretary-general of the Caravan of the Poor. The native of Khon Kaen's Ban Phai district has for more than 10 years represented northeastern people's movements, particularly the Network of Farming Institutes in Khon Kaen. He has taken part in negotiations on everything from government projects and debt problems to disputes over land ownership.

As the current political crisis unfolded, Atthawit led northeasterners to form the E-Tan group to defend the prime minister.

He said he decided to travel to Bangkok because no other group dared to come. And he believes a majority of people still want Thaksin running the country. The E-tan group left Ubon Ratchathani with just 800 members but along the way more and more people, many from the North, have joined them. When the group reached Bangkok, it was more than 15,000-strong.

Kasem Namchai, 45, heads a collective representing farmers from the northern provinces.

Kasem has a history of leading farmers. He served as a committee member on Chiang Rai's Marketing Cooperative, and was also a long-time leader of the Muang Yai Tambon Administrative Organisation.

He is now the chief of the Rubber Tree Cooperation of Wiang Kaen district.

Kasem drew on his long experience of negotiating for farmers to coordinate with groups affiliated with the Convoy of the Poor and asked them to send representatives to join the Bangkok rally. Kasem and his group left Chiang Rai on February 2.

Anan Paengnoy

The Nation