Chalerm defies rallies with ne inspection

Smiling defiantly at his opponents, Chalerm arrived at Khon Kaen from Chaiyaphum. He had to switch travelling routes and reschedule functions to avoid noisy protesters.

About 300 protesters besieged a university campus where Chalerm chaired a meeting to issue policy directives to provincial authorities.

The protesters tried to block the main gates but this did not deter the minister from being whisked in and out of Rajamangala University of Technology in Khon Kaen.

"I feel like a president being greeted by protesters," Chalerm said.

He said he did not mind political rallies because he was an elected representative of the people.

He said the protests were an attempt to intimidate him.

He added that the protesters tarnished the reputation of their hometown rather than make him feel threatened.

On Wednesday, he faced some 100 protesters in Chaiyaphum although press reports played up the event.

The minister said he planned to revive the At Samat model to eradicate poverty as introduced in 2006 by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The fight against poverty should be resumed in 180 days, he said.