Thaksin Shinawatra, the person who started the Pheu Thai party, got a very friendly welcome today as he came back to the party's HQ for the first time in almost 20 years.
Thaksin had been living in self-imposed exile for around 17 years, after being removed from power in a coup in 2006.
He came back to Thailand last year and was found guilty of three corruption charges. Now he has been released on parole.
It is reported that many Pheu Thai MPs and party members wanted to see Thaksin at his Chan Song La residence, which is not suitable for hosting a large crowd. That's why he went to the Pheu Thai headquarters instead.
When he arrived, he was greeted with applause and given red roses.
His daughter, Paetongtarn, who is the current leader of Pheu Thai, later told reporters that she led her father to the office of the party leader, which has been relocated to Thaksin’s former work room.
She said the party’s building was named OAI, after the nicknames of his three children: Oak, Aim, and Ing.
She quoted Thaksin as saying that many things have changed a lot and he told the new MPs that he knew their parents, who were also party MPs.
She insisted that Thaksin said nothing about work, adding that he looked like an old man coming home. “He greeted everyone and seemed happy,” she said
She mentioned that, while many people wanted to meet him, Thaksin may not help campaign for the party’s MPs, but wished to visit his MP friends and people in other provinces who wanted to meet him.
Thaksin wants to visit Chiang Mai again, but we will have to discuss this with the family first, Paetongtarn said.
Despite previously claiming that her father was seriously ill, which led to his early release, Thaksin has appeared recently, including today, without any signs of illness.
