Tributes For Ex Thai PM Chuan's Mother

[Lite Beer]

Tributes for Chuan's outstanding Mum Thuan

By Pawinee In-thep

The opposition Pheu Thai Party paid its tribute yesterday to the late Thuan Leekpai, 99, mother of former premier Chuan, chairman of the ruling Democrat Party's advisory council.

Pichai Naripthanpun, a former deputy finance minister and now chair of Pheu Thai's working group on economic affairs, said Thuan was indeed an outstanding mother, who brought up Chuan, one of her nine children, to be a real gentleman in the political arena.

"As prime minister of Thailand (twice), Khun Chuan was indeed a man of principle. When the Democrat party was short of just two MPs (to form a government several years ago), he accepted defeat with grace and did not attempt to form a rival government," Pichai said.

Thuan, who passed away on March 2, was the daughter of a Chinese immigrant family in the southern province of Trang. As one of seven kids in a poor family, she did not have a chance to go school and pursue a nursing study as she wished.

"I was sort of broken-hearted for the first time in my life (that I did not have the chance to go school) and instead had to work in the farm to help my family earn a living when I was 14," Thuan was quoted as saying in a Chuan Leekpai biography.

In fact, the Leekpai matriarch was keen on politics ever since she was a teenager. She even helped a village school teacher campaign for a House seat when she was 15.

Over the next several decades, Thuan, a well-known vendor of southern fish curries at Trang's municipal market, would also be known as an energetic canvasser.

Not until she was 50 did she have a chance to help her own son campaign for a House seat. In 1967, Chuan, the third of her nine children, was all set to jump into the national political arena after graduating with a law degree from Bangkok's Thammasat University.

Thuan, the popular curry vendor, was always ready to solicit votes for Chuan while selling her delicious food. She said she would give an extra portion of the tasty food to every customer and asked for votes for her boy.

Thuan was also a powerful local spokesperson for Chuan while the latter was busy working in Bangkok after winning his first term in 1969 at the age of 31.

Among the advice she gave Chuan was: "People voted for you because they believe that you are a good person. Keep up with the goodness. Always do your duty to the best of your ability."

And: "You shouldn't care about money too much. Too much money can make you bad. I don't want anything back from you, not your money."

Currently in his 13th term as a Member of Parliament, Chuan, who was prime minister twice, is often called "Mr Clean" in the relatively corrupt Thai political scene.

After more than 43 years in politics, his track record and integrity are hard to match. Yet, many people in Trang, which Chuan has represented in the House for the past 43 consecutive years, often say that Chuan's mother was, in fact, the real matriarch of Trang politics.

-- The Nation 2011-03-06

[Scott]

One of the first things I ever read in the newspaper in Thailand was an excerpt of an interview with her. An interesting person.

My thoughts are with the family.