As reports of the newly elected Thai Prime Minister's impending visit to Burma emerge, Shan State Army (SSA) leader says he hopes Samak Sundaravej will continue to advocate his deposed predecessor's policy on Burma especially for non-Burmans.
 
"There will be no complaints from us if he is upholding Thaksin's policy on us," Col Yawdserk, 51, told SHAN this morning from his Loi Taileng base, opposite Maehongson's Pang Mapha district.

As harsh words were raised around Thaksin Shinawatra in early 2006 following his controversial sale of Shin Corp's almost 50 percent stake to Singapore's Temasak Holdings, Yawdserk appeared to be the only Burma leader who had some kind words for him. "In my experience, he's the only Thai leader who has really tried hard for the rights of us non-Burmans," he then told SHAN. "While other Thai politicians were calling only for democracy and human rights, he had homed in on the rights of the non-Burmans."
 
According to him, Thaksin, following the Thai-Burma border confrontation in 2002, had offered to mediate between the ethnic armed opposition groups along the border and Rangoon. "He had, on several occasions, proposed his ideas to the SPDC but was turned down each time," said Yawdserk on 14 February 2006.
 
The Shan resistance leader said he would submit a formal request for peace talks with Burma's military rulers to Samak again soon.
 
One of Thaksin's critics however told SHAN, "Yawdserk seems to have forgotten that it was during Thaksin's term that the SSA was pushed out of three bases along the border."

It is still not clear when Samak will visit Burma. He has already paid courtesy calls to Laos and Cambodia last week.