EX-BOXER Ratanapol Sor Worapin gives haircuts to members of the Caravan of Poor People at Chatuchak Park yesterday.

For more than 7,000 upcountry folk som tam - a spicy papaya salad from the Northeast - is their staple. Steamers for sticky rice, pestle and mortars and mounds of papaya can be seen everywhere.

"Since we have been here, the most-used tool is the kitchen mortar," Sa-ngob Bampenpong from Buri Ram said.

People take the papaya and other vegetables and pound them to create som tam. The pounding echoes every now and then throughout the 20 rai of land in Chatuchak Park where demonstrators from 19 provinces have now unofficially set up their "villages".

"Som tam is mixed with pla ra [fermented-fish condiment] and everyone here has som tam three times day. We never get bored with it," Thanom Suebpeng said.

Thanom, who is seven-months pregnant, is working as a cook for the Caravan of Poor People.

"I have come from Buri Ram because my family is going through a difficult time. I want to meet [caretaker] Prime Minister Thaksin to ask for his help," she said.

At the rally, breakfast is served at 7am, lunch at noon, and dinner at 5pm. At around 8pm, most demonstrators usually got to bed while Bangkok residents came to hear what their leaders have to say about politics.

During the day, people cook, clean and wash their clothes.

The demonstrators have two main missions: campaigning to encourage people to cast their vote on April 2, and to join various types of activities in

their stronghold at Chatuchak Park, including traditional performances from the North, Northeast and Central regions.

Their settlement zone is divided into 19 "villages" for people from 19 provinces. The villages have bamboo walls, with plenty of tractors and rural vehicles parked outside them. In the bathing zone, canvas provides a degree of privacy.

However, protest leaders have complained that there are not enough toilet trucks. "We are willing to pay, but the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration cannot provide any more for us," said Prasert Boonthai, a leader of the Caravan of Poor People.

He said his group had paid more than Bt15,000 per toilet truck, but the expense was manageable as the group has received more than Bt500,000 in donations.

The Caravan of Poor People is throwing its support behind the upcoming general election and wholeheartedly believes Thaksin should remain as the country's prime minister.

Samai Kalasilam, a 70-year-old resident from Buri Ram, said he joined the campaign because the Thaksin-led government was the first to truly reach out to grass-roots people.

"I have seen many premiers come and go, yet none has given so much to rural people the way Thaksin has done," he said.

Lamom Thaosoong-noen, also from Buri Ram, said she wished to offer support for Thaksin because she believed he was a good man.

"I am free now, because the planting season hasn't arrived yet. I have found that there is more food for me here than at home," she said.

Koey Art-tawee, a 67-year-old resident, said she spent most of the time sleeping in the shade. "I am old and they said I should not walk around or else I might faint, but I still join the activities in front of the stage every morning and evening," she said.

Chaichaina Pengmuang, who came from Khon Kaen with his two-year-old son, said he joined the campaign to

show his support for Thaksin.

"At the same time, I can do some sightseeing in Bangkok," he said.

Kamta Kanboonjan, the secretary-general of the Caravan of Poor People, said many demonstrators would return to their home provinces this weekend to cast advance ballots, and their places at the Chatuchak-Park-based village would be filled by another batch of people from upcountry.

Atthawit Singlor, the deputy secretary-general of the Caravan of Poor People, said his group planned to stay at Chatuchak Park until the election.

"We will strictly control access to our village zones to prevent ill-intentioned people from causing trouble," he said. He also denied reports that demonstrators had been paid to join his group's rally.

Anan Paengnoy

The Nation