6 October 1976 Massacre

Infobox civilian attack
title = 6 October 1976 Massacre


caption = The massacred student protesters
location = Thammasat University and at Sanam Luang in Bangkok, Thailand
coordinates =
target = Demonstration
date = October 6, 1976
timezone = UTC +8
type = Shooting
fatalities = 46 (Official)
injuries = Unknown
perps =
susperps = Samak Sundaravej
weapons = Small armsThe Massacre of 6 October 1976 ( เหตุการณ์ 6 ตุลา) was a violent crackdown on leftist students and protestors that occurred in the grounds of Thammasat University and at Sanam Luang in Bangkok, Thailand. Students from various Bangkok universities were demonstrating against the return to Thailand of Field Marshall Thanom Kittikachorn, who had been forced from power three years previously but had recently entered the country as a Buddhist monk. The protests began at Sanam Luang, but soon moved onto the nearby campus of Thammasat University, forcing the university to suspend its examinations.

The attack and massacre was led by Thai military and police units, but especially by the brutal right-wing paramilitary Red Gaur and the royalist Village Scouts. It was sparked by a mock hanging of a student protestor, inspired by the murder by hanging of three demonstrators in Nakhon Pathom. However, a photo of the student in the mock hanging was retouched to create a resemblance to the Crown Prince, and the altered photo was printed by two Bangkok newspapers. This doctored photo inflamed the rightwing and caused their violent response.

Officially, 46 people died in the crackdown, which saw protestors shot, beaten and bodies mutilated, though the actual death toll was probably much higher. The massacre led immediately to a military coup against the democratic government of Prime Minister Seni Pramoj and the appointment of Tanin Kraivixien as Prime Minister.

Background

Following the events of 14 October 1973 and the expulsion of the Three Tyrants--Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, Praphas Charusathien, and Narong Kittikachorn--a new constitution was promulgated in 1974 and elected, democratic government resumed after a long period of military dictatorship. However, with parliamentary factionalism and the fact that there was no clear majority in parliament, the elected government was politically unstable. Furthermore, an economic downturn and the rise of student activism led to increased incidence of organized labor strikes, farmer protests, and rightist concern. Government land reform and other liberal economic policies of Kukrit Pramoj also increased the Right's wariness of increasing liberal sentiment in the country.

During this time, various extreme rightist organizations were given better support and preparation. The Village Scouts (Thai: ลูกเสือชาวบ้าน) were intensely trained and recruited to despise Communists and other "un-Thai" characters, and to fight for the "Nation, Religion, and Monarchy." The Village Scouts were closely tied to the Border Patrol Police. Other more extreme, underground rightist movements also grew. This included the Red Gaur and Navapol, the violent arm of the ultra-right, which were organized and trained by the Internal Security Operations Command. Anti-communist sentiment and fear mongering was hyped up in these organizations to the point that a monk, Kittivudho, publicly claimed that killing Communists was not a sin, but in fact, meritorious. Many rightist riots, fights, and protests were whipped up to terrorize liberals.

This anti-communist hysteria was summarized by a western diplomat: "The Thai government and press are forever explaining away their national problems by pointing at the communists ... the real enemy is alive and well and living in Bangkok, driving around in air-conditioned Mercedes." [Peagam, Norman. Far Eastern Economic Review, July 9, 1976 ]

Protests over the return of a despised dictator

On September 19, 1976, the exiled former dictator Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn returned from exile under the guise of a monk. He was ordained as a monk in Wat Bovornives in a closed ordination guarded by members of Navapol. As news of Thanom's return spread, there was widespread disapproval and protests demanding his expulsion and criminal investigations. Parliament eventually voted to expel the former premier and instability increased when Seni Pramoj tendered his resignation after the King paid a public visit to Monk Thanom at the temple. Seni Pramoj's resignation was, however, rejected by Parliament and he was forced to continue in the position.

Protests and mobilizations grew in both the left and right. Leftists protesting the return of a criminal dictator were branded communists by the right, culminating 25 September in the beating and hanging of protesters in Nakhon Pathom by police. This led to a series of peaceful protests by unified labor groups, students, and other activists on 30 September and 3 October to demand the expulsion of Thanom.

On 4 October, inside Thammasat University's walls, students staged a play to dramatize the hanging of the protesters in Nakhon Pathom. The next day, some newspapers reprinted images of the hanging, doctoring the face of one of the effigies to better resemble that of the Crown Prince and suggesting that the students had committed lèse-majesté. Following the report, various army-controlled radio stations; Samak Sundaravej and Thomayantri (nom de plume of novelist Wimol Siriphaibul); claimed the students were also planning to assault the palace and Wat Bovornives, encouraging Village Scouts, Red Gaur, and Navapol to kill the "communists."

By nighttime, 5 October 1976, 4000 rightist paramilitary groups were gathered at the gates of Thammasat University.

Massacre

In the dawn of 6 October 1976, the rightists began to fire into the University campus using military weapons. Although the students pleaded for a ceasefire, the then police chief authorized a free fire on the University and the paramilitary groups stormed in. Students who were surrendering were forced to lie on the ground only to be beaten, some to death. Others were shot or hung and their bodies set ablaze. Those attempting to escape the University by jumping into the Chao Phraya River were also shot. The barbarism lasted for several hours until the Border Patrol Police, Red Gaur, Navapol, and the Village Scouts re-gathered at the Royal Turf Club and were dismissed.

Aftermath

Immediately after the carnage, a military junta seized power and with royal endorsement, Tanin Kraivixien was appointed prime minister. Since then, none of the rightist elements or perpetrators have been brought to justice and this issue is extremely sensitive in Thailand. The slaughter and heavy handed treatment caused many of the students to become Communist sympathizers rather than discouraging it. Many fled to the CPT-controlled jungles and greatly strengthened its operations until discord between older hardline Marxists and the newer moderate liberals caused the CPT to split. Eventual amnesty for former CPT members brought them back into mainstream society many years later.

Many modern history textbooks in Thailand completely skip this event or include one-sided police reports from the time that claim student protesters had turned violent. Some play down the massacre as a 'misunderstanding' between the two sides while even the most accurate are fairly watered down versions of the event.

Thammasat University holds annual memorials that show photographs from the gruesome scene along with eyewitness accounts and historical records.

Samak Sundaravej, elected Prime Minister in 2008, when questioned about his alleged role in the Thammasat massacre of 1976 by Al Jazeera on 9 February 2008, stated, "Only one died," and that one by accident. [ [http://ratchasima.net/2008/02/14/tak-bai-ohh-you-have-heard-about-that-incident-did-you/ "Only one died"] : Transcript of interview with of Thailand, Part 2 (recovered 7:24 PM 2/22/2008)] In an interview with CNN aired 9 and 10 February, the prime minister responded to questions about the massacre by saying that he had been "an outsider by that time", and again asserted, "One unlucky guy being beaten and burned in Sanam Luang". [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/18/talkasia.samak/index.html Interview with Samak Sundaravej] (recovered 8:06 PM 2/22/2008)]

References

Further reading

* David Morell and Chai-Anan Samudavanija, "Political Conflict in Thailand: Reform, Reaction, Revolution"
* Bryce Beemer, [http://www2.hawaii.edu/~seassa/explorations/v1n1/art6/v1n1-frame6.html Forgetting and Remembering "Hok Tulaa", the October 6 Massacre]
* Photo gallery of the October 6 Massacre in www.2519.net, [http://www.2519.net/newweb/gallery_new/show_main.php]

ee also

* History of Thailand since 1973
* Tanin Kraivixien
* Seni Pramoj
* Democrat Party (Thailand)
* Samak Sundaravej, alleged head of lynch mob on 5 October; Prime Minister in 2008