In the first week of August, I spend several days in the North East of Thailand.  My programme included a visit to Sotr Suksa Udorn Thani School for the deaf where I made a presentation of sports equipment, encyclopedia and scholarships to students, courtesy of Tesco Lotus.  Then I went with Khun Kusuma Yothasamut, Channel 5 reporter, to experience the production of "Jaewbong" fish at Tatoom Village and visited Udorn Thani Provincial Museum.  I also took the opportunity to meet the Red Shirts, supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin, in Udorn Thani.

The next day, I visited a Mini-Hydro Project in Phu Rue, Loei, which has received some financial support from the British government in the form of soft loans.

On 5 August, I met Udorn Thani MPs and had lunch with them before I went to Udorn Thani Rajabhat University where I had a discussion with 30 students.  I also met the Udorn Thani Governor and Police Chief.

On 14 August, I was invited, along with representatives of other foreign missions in Thailand, to an event at the headquarters of the Pheu Thai Party. When the Pheu Thai Party’s predecessor, the People Power Party, were in government, I made a point of keeping in touch with the Democrat Party, then in opposition. So now, when the Democrat Party were in  government, it was natural for me to want to hear what the opposition have to say.

After the speeches, the guests were invited to pose questions. I drew attention to the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma and asked about Pheu Thai Party’s stance on the issue. It was good to hear the Peau Thai  Party expressing strong support for the position taken by the Thai Government, as ASEAN Chair, demanding real progress towards democracy in Burma, starting with the release of all political prisoners.