On 6th October 1976, forty-six people, most of whom were students, were killed in a military massacre at Thammasat University in Bangkok. The bodies of the victims were desecrated by baying mobs, and the incident remains one of the most shocking moments in Thailand’s modern history.
The Thammasat students had been protesting against the return from exile of Thanom Kittikachorn, the coup leader who had fled into exile in 1973. The circumstances surrounding Thanom’s arrival back in Thailand in September 1976 remain unclear: was his return orchestrated to provoke a demonstration and justify another coup?
Thanom had previously returned in December 1974, against the wishes of the prime minister. On that occasion, 10,000 Thammasat students protested against him, and he left the country again two days later. But in 1976, he remained in the country, and ordained as a monk in a performative, and provocative, gesture of repentance.
Thanom had previously returned in December 1974, against the wishes of the prime minister. On that occasion, 10,000 Thammasat students protested against him, and he left the country again two days later. But in 1976, he remained in the country, and ordained as a monk in a performative, and provocative, gesture of repentance.
On 25th September 1976, two anti-Thanom activists (Choomporn Thummai and Vichai Kasripongsa) were hanged by the police, and on 4th October 1976 a group of Thammasat students staged a reenactment of the hanging. One of the students who posed as a victim, Apinan Buahapakdee, coincidentally bore a passing resemblance to Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn (who is now King Rama X).
On its front page on 6th October 1976, the nationalist Dao Siam (ดาวสยาม) newspaper printed Apinan’s photograph and its headline accused the students of hanging the Prince in effigy. Again, the circumstances are unclear, and there are rumours that the photo was retouched to accentuate the royal resemblance.
The political atmosphere reached boiling point following the Dao Siam headline, which sparked an invasion of the Thammasat campus by right-wing militia groups and vigilantes. But tensions had been simmering for several months, after an interview with Kittivuddho Bhikku, an influential monk, appeared to give nationalist paramilitary groups a licence to kill.
The monk was quoted by จัตุรัส (‘square’) magazine on 29th June 1976 saying that, for Buddhists, killing a communist would bring more merit than disgrace. His temple later published a booklet titled ฆ่าคอมมิวนิสต์ไม่บาป (‘killing communists is not a sin’), which expressed the same incendiary statement more succinctly.
The monk was quoted by จัตุรัส (‘square’) magazine on 29th June 1976 saying that, for Buddhists, killing a communist would bring more merit than disgrace. His temple later published a booklet titled ฆ่าคอมมิวนิสต์ไม่บาป (‘killing communists is not a sin’), which expressed the same incendiary statement more succinctly.
Another issue of จัตุรัส magazine, featuring a cover photograph of Thanom in his monk’s robes, was published on 5th October 1976. In 2021, a ‘museum in a box’ — called ฟ้าใหม่ ใกล้มา (‘dawn of victory’) — was produced to commemorate the atmosphere of that day, the eve of the masssacre.
Thai Political Milestones:
Thai Political Milestones:
- no. 1: ‘Black May’
- no. 2: 14th October 1973