On Oct. 6, 1976, unarmed student protesters at Thammasat University in Bangkok were surrounded by police and far-right paramilitary groups. They were protesting the return of former military dictator Thanom Kittikachorn to Thailand. Police and these groups attacked the protesters. In the aftermath, students’ dead bodies were hung, beaten and mutilated in front of cheering crowds.

Forty-five years later, the struggle for a true democracy in Thailand continues. The current “prime minister,” aka General Prayuth, seized power in a coup in 2014. There have been ongoing protests for democratic reforms since the coup. Many pro-democracy leaders have been jailed. Young people have been injured and even killed at protests this year.

An iconic photograph by Neal Ulevich of the 1976 massacre shows a man beating the body of a lynched protester with a chair. In Thailand, a chair has become a modern symbol of defiance and perseverance in the pro-democracy movement. It is often depicted in artwork and is referenced in protest music. 1976 is not far from many Thai parents’ minds when they beg their children not to attend pro-democracy protests. Despite the dangers, Thai people continue to assemble in the streets and call for democracy.

The Western world seems unaware of these calls for democracy in Thailand. In the West, Thailand is often depicted as an inexpensive tropical paradise where foreigners can do as they please. However, there is more to Thailand than beaches and pad thai. Brave Thai people deserve to have their story heard by the larger world.

Timothy Williams

Bangkok, Thailand

The writer is an Eighty Four native.

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