Thaksin's face turned ashen as a trio of female shopkeepers unleashed a verbal assault in a shopping mall near the headquarters of Bangkok Bank.

Unlike many of his critics, the women appeared without a script.

Thaksin has been able to handle the high-profile trio of Sondhi Limthongkul, Chamlong Srimuang and Thirayuth Boonmee, as well as the countless academics and media pundits who have lined up against him.

But he was caught off guard by the onslaught from the irate shopkeepers and appeared completely at a loss as to what to do.

Thaksin immediately cancelled his plans to do a bit of shopping at a market in a soi near Trinity Complex.

To some that witnessed the premier being driven off by shouts from contemptuous shopkeepers, the incident signified a shift from organised to spontaneous protests.

The harangue began while Thaksin was having lunch with Thai Rak Thai MP candidates Chakrapob Penkair and Orathai Thanajaro in the food court at Trinity Complex.

He told reporters that he selected the venue because it was not "luxurious" and was near a market in Soi Lalaisap where he intended to do spend Bt400 to Bt500 shopping.

But Thaksin's down-market visit turned into high drama while he and his companions were dining on noodles and somtam.

A female shopkeeper emerged from nowhere and created the first scene. She shouted, "Thaksin get out!"

Her shout drew others. One screamed: "Thaksin, seller of the national assets!"

The fury was impromptu and raw. Thaksin appeared stunned by it, but managed to finish his lunch.

At about 12.30 his son Panthongtae joined him and they departed the food court.

But they had walked less than 10 steps when one of the shopkeepers who had accosted Thaksin earlier climbed to the second floor of the car park opposite them and began shouting, "Thaksin get out!"

A group of bystanders clapped their hands in support of her.

Thaksin waved at the lady and tried to persuade her to come down to talk to him, but she refused.

Panthongtae looked up at the shouting shopkeeper and, according to one witness, said: "B...tch!"

Varaporn, the 45-year-old shopkeeper who first yelled at Thaksin (she declined to give her last name), said she would only let camera crews from ASTV and UBC film her.

In an interview with ASTV she said many shopkeepers in the area, most of whom sell garments and gifts, disliked Thaksin but only a few were bold enough to shout at him.

One shout was not enough, so she continued yelling and others joined her, she said.

But Thaksin supporters were there too, and they also began yelling.

The prime minister cancelled his shopping trip and headed for Ban Phitsanulok instead.

Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, praised the shopkeepers' bravery.

"How can the prime minister continue to hang on [after this kind of verbal attack]? He should have resigned by now," Chamlong said.

Varaporn said that after Thaksin left a middle-aged man in a safari suit photographed her at her shop.

She said she tried to prevent him from taking her photo, but he claimed he was an investigator from Thung Mahamek Police Station and said she could pick up the photos there if she wanted to.

"I don't understand what's wrong with yelling like this. It's my right to express my opinion," she said.

She then called the police station to ask the superintendent about the man.

The superintendent said the man was not an officer at the station.

Colonel Charoen Srisasaluk, the station's superintendent, said he had talked to Varaporn. The man she described was not an officer at his station and he would investigate the matter, he said.

Last year most of the shopkeepers in Soi Lalaisap voted for Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party and welcomed him warmly when he campaigned there, Varaporn said. But now they are upset with the government's policy on free trade and the privatisation of Egat, she said.

A 32-year-old garment seller named Piangpen, who asked that her surname not be published, said that before Thaksin arrived at the mall, two men tried to distribute roses to the shopkeepers so they could present them to Thaksin. The shopkeepers refused.

Yesterday's incident was not the first time a member of the Shinawatra family encountered verbal harassment.

Thaksin's wife, Khunying Pojaman, was called "thick face" (meaning thick-skinned) while shopping at The Emporium with her daughter Paethongtarn a couple of months ago.

Thaksin last night flew to Chiang Mai, saying he needed a short break. He will attend today's Cabinet meeting via teleconferencing.