One to watch: Aung San Suu Kyi, unbound

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Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. (CP)

Myanmar's opposition leader took her first foreign trip in nearly a quarter-century this week after living the last 15 years under house arrest.

"Don't feel down, or weak. History is always changing," the Nobel Peace Prize winner told an exuberant crowd of thousands of Burmese migrants in the town of Mahachai, Thailand, where she offered encouragement to the impoverished workers. Myanmar is also known as Burma.

Many held signs saying, "We want to go home," and Suu Kyi said her visit was aimed at learning how she could help them.

Mahachai is home to Thailand's largest population of Burmese migrants, many of whom crowded around this living example of new-found freedom and chanted: "Long Live Mother Suu!"

Suu Kyi arrived in Thailand on Tuesday night on a trip that shows just how much life has changed in her homeland. Now an elected member of Parliament, she heads to Europe for a five-country tour in mid-June.

She'll address the British Parliament, formally accept her 1991 Nobel in Oslo, Norway, and be the guest of honour at a Dublin tribute concert organized by U2's Bono and others.

History is always changing, indeed.

-- With files from The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 2, 2012 J2