Migrants get chance of a lifetime, meet ‘Mother Suu’

Amid tight security, many of the workers managed to shake hands with and talk to Myanmar’s visiting state counsellor and foreign minister when she was on her way to a Sufficiency Economy village in Sam Phran district.

The workers shouted, “Amay Suu! Amay Suu!” (Mother Suu!) repeatedly as Suu Kyi’s motorcade passed where they gathered in front of a temple.

Suu Kyi had her car window wound down and waved to them. 

The motorcade stopped for about 10 minutes, during which she stepped out of her limousine to meet her supporters. Many of them have lived in Thailand since they were children and had never seen or met her in the flesh.

The workers gave flowers to Suu Kyi, and many became teary-eyed. 

Bo, a 28-year-old Myanmar migrant, said Suu Kyi told the workers to work hard and do their duty to the best of their ability. “She said that when our country is ready, we should go back home to work,” he said.

Such an opportunity was missed by hundreds of Myanmar workers who gathered at Talay Thai Market in Samut Sakhon on Thursday, when Suu Kyi met with some 500 selected Myanmar migrants in a conference room. Heavy rain and tight security prevented them from getting close to their heroine. 

During the visit to the Ban Hua Aow learning centre, Suu Kyi was briefed on the village’s development based on the Sufficiency Economy philosophy and she was led to see how local residents made products such as pomelos, plus handmade bags and baskets.

She was welcomed by the Prime Minister’s wife Asst Prof Naraporn Chan-o-cha, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Thai Ambassador to Myanmar Pisanu Suvanajata.

The Foreign Ministry said earlier that Suu Kyi wanted to visit the centre. She left Thailand and flew back to Myanmar yesterday evening.