Thai politicians and protest leaders yesterday laid floral wreaths at a Thammasat University monument commemorating the anniversary of a student massacre more than 40 years ago, as survivors reflected on the younger generation’s latest democracy push.
The Oct. 6, 1976, killings in Bangkok, carried out by security forces and royalist militias, stand out for their brutality.
At least 46 student protesters were shot, beaten to death or hanged from trees as they rallied at Thammasat against the return of former military dictator Thanom Kittikachor, who had been ousted from power just three years earlier, with 167 people injured.
Photo: AFP
However, credible independent estimates put the death toll at more than 100.
Nobody has ever been held accountable for the bloodshed, which critics say is a reflection of an ongoing culture of impunity for the country’s military.
Thailand is in the throes of a nascent pro-democracy movement, with massive demonstrations across the country demanding an overhaul of its military-aligned government and reforms to the monarchy.
Photo: AFP
“It’s like history repeating itself ... they were students who came out to protest demanding change in our society,” said lawyer Anon Numpa, one of the most prominent faces of the movement, at the memorial Tuesday.
Opposition lawmaker Rangsiman Rome pointed to sedition charges targeting Anon, as well as dozens of activists, as proof of the need for reform.
Representatives from the pro-establishment Democrat Party also attended.
“If every side understands the history, then we can solve our country’s problems,” former lawmaker Tankhun Jittitsara said.
The current crop of activists have studied Thailand’s history and are unafraid to discuss “the root cause” of the kingdom’s problems, said Pheu Thai lawmaker Sutham Saengpratoom, who was a student leader during the 1976 crackdown.
“My generation didn’t dare to talk about the entire truth, but these students are bold,” he said.
Survivor Jin Kammachon — who saw his parents and girlfriend killed that day — is heartened that today’s students have been using a ballad he composed as a protest song.
“The songs I composed more than 40 years ago can still be used in today’s struggles,” he said.
And he has written a new song with the lyrics: “If we don’t surrender, we will not be defeated.”
In related news, the kingdom’s new army chief said there was “zero chance” for a military coup now and urged all parties to avoid creating conditions that would lead to violence amid anti-government protests.
“We should make the possibility for such action to go below zero. All parties must help,” General Narongpan Jittkaewtae, who took over as the army chief last week as part of the annual military reshuffle, said at a news briefing in Bangkok. “Political problems must be solved by politics.”
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a banned opposition leader, last week said that he would not rule out the possibility of a coup if the protests escalated.
Anti-government activists have called for a general strike on Wednesday next week.
The protesters are demanding a rewrite of the constitution that they regard as instrumental in keeping Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha in office.
The parliament agreed last month to delay a vote on charter amendment, angering protesters.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
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