Crowds throng Suu Kyi's campaign trail

Pathein, Myanmar: Crowds of supporters greeted Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi with thunderous applause as she embarked yesterday on her first campaign trip since becoming an official candidate for April elections.

The Nobel Peace laureate travelled for the first time in two decades to the Irrawaddy delta, Myanmar's rice bowl.

Crowds lined the roads to shout support to Suu Kyi at every major town along her four-hour drive south from Yangon to Pathein, the Irrawaddy's regional capital. More than 10,000 people packed into a sports stadium under a sweltering sun to hear her speak.

One giant banner strung through the stands hailed Suu Kyi, the longtime political prisoner, as "Mother Democracy".