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Published on December 7, 2007

Thailand yesterday lost one of its most prominent fighters for the poor when Vanida Tantiwittayapitak passed away in peace at 52 after battling breast cancer for more than two years.

Her passing was just four days prior to the 12th anniversary of her co-founding of the Assembly of the Poor (AOP), Thailand's most recognised grass-roots movement both here and internationally.

Tens of thousands of villagers, who formed the backbone of the movement, mourned Vanida while vowing to carry on the campaigns to which she devoted so much of her life.

"Vanida is our hero and she will always stay in our hearts," declared village leader Sompong Viengchan from Ubon Rachathani.

"She taught us by setting an example of how we can stand on our own two feet and fight injustice. Because of her, I learned to talk to the prime minister without my legs shaking. We will carry on her dream of a better and more just society."

Vanida's name emerged in the early 1990s as a leader of the anti-Pak Mun Dam movement. While many people saw Vanida and the villagers fighting a losing battle as the dam was completed in 1994 with loans from the World Bank, the movement gave birth to an even larger force for the underprivileged.

Thousands of people from every region fought under the AOP's umbrella, from villagers losing their land and livelihoods to state infrastructure projects, southern small-scale fishermen fighting commercial overfishing, urban slum dwellers facing eviction to city factory workers exploited by their bosses.

 "Thai society today lost one of its greatest women," said former prime minister Anand Panyarachun at Vanida's funeral rites at Wat Wachiratham Satit in Bangkok last night.

"What Vanida fought for was not wealth or personal benefit, nor for her family or friends, but for a caring society. She helped others to fight for their rights, fight for the poor, fight for the underprivileged and for those who lost their rights and faced injustice still so prevalent in Thai society.

"If we could contribute [to society] half of what Vanida has done over the past 30 years, then we could all have peace."

Her fellow grass-roots activists and allies within the movement said they would never forget Vanida as they continued to carry on her legacy.

"Phi Mod [as Vanida was fondly called] is a mentor, a friend and even a big sister to many of us. Losing her is heart-breaking and it has shaken our morale," said Prapas Pintobtaeng, a political-science lecturer at Chulalongkorn University.

"But she always reminded us that the movement cannot rely on just one or even a handful of leaders. The AOP has always been inclusive of many people at decision-making level. We have learned from her that everybody in the movement, no matter what they are - activists, academics or villagers - should move and grow together. Her loss just reinforces the need to fight on."

Sompong, from the Pak Mun community, said many villagers in the AOP movement were still unaware of Vanida's death because their remote villages were inaccessible by phone.

Vanida's funeral rites are being held at Wat Wachiratham Satit on Sukhumvit Soi 101/1 until next Wednesday, when her cremation will be held at 5pm. The family requests no wreaths be sent, but it may establish a fund to which donations can be made.

The Nation