He said yesterday that he will visit north-eastern provinces from Monday to Wednesday next week and provinces in the North between August 14 and 17. During his trips, he will join weekly Cabinet meetings via teleconferencing. Some Cabinet members will join him on the road.

Critics described the trips as improper ahead of the next general election. Some viewed them as election campaigning in disguise.

Thaksin said he would inspect government projects and focus on local people's agriculture and solving their health and poverty problems, as well as follow up his televised poverty-solving workshop at Roi Et's At Samat district in January.

Outgoing Senator Seree Suwan-panont said the mobile Cabinet meeting might give the Thai Rak Thai Party advantages over other parties and could be illegal.

Opposition chief whip Sathit Wongnongtoey said holding a mobile Cabinet meeting would be expensive and did not go well with the government's preaching of thrift.

Political scientist Prayat Hong-thongkham said Thaksin's tours and mobile Cabinet were improper be-cause it was near a general election.

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation