Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra received a warm welcome with hugs and kisses from his supporters when he visited the Pheu Thai Party headquarters in Bangkok on Tuesday afternoon.
As Thaksin emerged from his Bentley, the crowd that had gathered in anticipation of the party’s patriarch burst into applause. This event marked his first visit to the headquarters since his return from self-imposed exile on August 22 of the previous year.
Several Pheu Thai Party Cabinet members specifically took leave from their regular weekly meeting to personally greet Thaksin.
From the early morning, supporters, including those associated with the red-shirt movement and individuals from various regions, had been gathering outside the headquarters, eagerly awaiting Thaksin’s arrival.
Prominent Pheu Thai legislators, such as Wisut Chaiya-aroon, Kosol Patama, Chanin Rungthanakiart, and the party’s secretary-general Sorawong Thienthong, were among the early arrivals.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s youngest daughter and the party’s leader, arrived shortly after 1pm, accompanied by Cabinet members who had excused themselves from their duties for the day.
Paetongtarn’s entourage included key ministers like Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, Prime Minister’s Office Minister Puangpetch Chunla-ead, and Culture Minister Sermsak Pongpanit.
Ministers, lawmakers, officials, and select supporters lined up inside the party headquarters to greet Thaksin.
Arriving at 1:30 pm, the party patriarch was dressed in a blue suit and was noticeably without the neck brace he had worn during his recent visit to his home province of Chiang Mai.
An enthusiastic crowd welcomed him with flowers and expressions of affection, with many taking the opportunity for hugs and kisses.
Thaksin, greeted with cheers, ascended the stairs to the headquarters with a broad smile. He paid his respects to a portrait of the King, greeted the media, and then headed to the elevator to meet with party members, ministers, and MPs on the eighth floor.
As Thaksin made his way to the elevator, Paetongtarn tactfully prevented reporters from questioning him.
After returning to Thailand, Thaksin was cared for at the Police General Hospital for six months before being released on parole, a decision attributed to his advanced age and declining health, as stated by the Corrections Department.
