Every year, on the 6th of October, a solemn air descends over Thailand. It is a day not just about saluting those brave individuals who fell defending democracy, it’s a day when the nation revisits its commitment to the democratic cause.
The 47th anniversary of the unspeakable act that came to be known as the October 6 Massacre was commemorated last Friday. Key political figures from Pheu Thai Party, Move Forward and Democrats, as well as activists from the red-shirt movement, converged on the Thammasat University campus. They laid flowers and wreaths at the site now memorialized as the “Thammasat and the Fight for Democracy” garden.
“Let not the October 6 atrocity be erased from memory. The scale of bloodshed far exceeded what any society should have to endure. We must learn from such a dark event,” warned Pita Limjaroenrat, the former head of Move Forward, after partaking in the commemorative ceremony. A recital of a poem composed in honor of the victims provided an emotional close to the proceedings.
Looking back to 1973, victory for the pro-democracy bloc led to the ousting of the military dictator, Field Marshall Thanom Kittikachorn. This ended in his being banished from Thailand to Singapore—a moment many considered a triumph for the ordinary people, facilitated by student-led movements.
A year on, the ousted dictator returned to Thailand, taking monastic vows at the Wat Pavaranivesh Vihara Ratchawarawihan. This set off a wave of intense protesting, particularly by young activists.
Before two labour activists from Nakhon Pathom province had an opportunity to voice their opposition through anti-Thanom posters, they tragically fell victim to hate-crime. A protest at Thammasat University drew over 4,000 students; however, the demonstration, which included a staged lynching, was misrepresented in the media as an attempt to overthrow the monarchy.
Intolerant counterforces soon took a violent stand against the student protestors, escalating into outright conflict. In the early morning hours of October 6, police forces wielding military-grade firearms and ordnance began to disperse the demonstrators. What ensued was nothing short of a massacre. Lynching, assault, theft, and sexual abuse were meted out as forms of punishment by right-wing extremists. There were reports of protestors being shot, immolated, and beaten to death. Whether or not these individuals surrendered was inconsequential.
While various reports cited a death toll of over 100, others claimed the fatality count was 46. Regardless, thousands were detained for political reasons, with the majority being university students.
The tragic day concluded with a coup by Admiral Sangad Chaloryu, bringing to an end one of the bloodiest chapters in political history. After the horror, many students sought shelter in wilderness.
In a sad turn of events, 18 people were pursued legally in the aftermath. Several of these individuals went on to become noted academics in later years, like Surachart Bamrungsuk, Somsak Jeamteerasakul, and Thongchai Winichakul.
It was two years later, in 1977, that the then government granted amnesty to all those who had been seized for political reasons. A step towards healing, but with memories of the brutal incidents still haunting the nation.
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