• 
• 

Published on September 26, 2007

Newin was addressing about 50,000 People Power Party supporters at his hometown of Buri Ram.

He recounted the 11 days he spent as an Army prisoner, having to report to the Council for National Security (CNS).

"I told the junta chief that he had won and that I was ready to cooperate if it was for the good of the country," he said, adding that soon after he made this statement he was piled into a van and driven home.

At his front gate, he was told to undress so they could check if he had stolen anything from his place of incarceration.

He said he was accused of being behind the "undercurrent" and for being a "financial nominee of Thaksin".

"I love him [Thaksin] for making the country his job, but the junta used tanks to destroy the good things achieved by the Thai Rak Thai government."

Newin called on people to vote for the PPP and elect Samak as the next premier if they wanted to continue with the legacy of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai.

The politician's aide told reporters that most people had attended the gathering just to hear Newin speak - after all it was the first time since last September.

PPP leader Samak Sundaravej then took the stage, telling the crowd why he decided to lead the party and explained the ruckus in Nakhon Ratchasima earlier yesterday.

Apparently, before heading for Buri Ram, Samak's people decided to visit Nakhon Ratchasima to pay homage at the Tao Suranaree monument.

However, there were some 50 members of the People's Alliance for Democracy waiting for them - all armed with banners protesting against PPP.

The PAD group, led by Prateep na Nakhon and Sarapee Boonpratoochai, read a statement attacking Samak for his role in the October 1976 political turmoil and saying that he had no right to pay homage at the Tao Suranaree monument.

The PPP members awaiting Samak's arrival called and cancelled his trip.

So, the Samak caravan decided to head for the Sima Thani hotel in Nakhon Ratchasima to address some 1,200 supporters, where the politician said he was prepared for the PAD protest and it did not bother him one bit.

Meanwhile, secretary-general of the anti-Thaksin group the Buri Ram Political Network Kritthep Oupjan yesterday filed a police complaint against Samak, saying public campaigning was against the constitution because Buri Ram was under martial law.

He said they needed permission from the CNS and the Election Commission before taking to the stage.

The Nation