Remembering the nightmare of October 6, 1976

October 6 each year is not only about paying respects to those who lost their lives in pursuit of the cause of the democracy, but also about pledging anew the commitment to democracy.

On the 47th anniversary of the massacre on Friday, politicians and activists, including members of the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the opposition Move Forward and Democrats, as well as red-shirt activists, thronged the campus.

They laid wreaths and flowers at the university's "Thammasat and the Fight for Democracy" garden.

The former head of Move Forward, Pita Limjaroenrat, told reporters after attending the event that “The October 6 Massacre should not be forgotten. The level of violence during the catastrophe goes well over what is acceptable. We should take a lesson from it.”

A merit-making ceremony also was held. A poem that had been composed to honour the victims was read.

October 6 massacre — a history

The victory of the democracy wing in 1973 resulted in military dictator, Field Marshall Thanom Kittikachorn, being exiled from Thailand to Singapore. Many viewed this development as a triumph for the people, as it was mainly driven by university students.

Thanom, however, returned to Thailand in September 1976 and received his monastic ordination at the Wat Pavaranivesh Vihara Ratchawarawihan. The incident stirred the fury of activists, especially young ones, who flocked to Sanam Luang (the royal crematorium) before staging a protest at Thammasat University.

On September 24, Wichai Ketsriphongsorn and Chumphon Thummai, two labour activists from Nakhon Pathom province, who had put up anti-Thanom posters, were attacked and beaten to death. Their bodies were gruesomely hung from a gate in the province’s Muang district, which later became known as the “Red Gate”.

Over 4,000 students attended a protest on October 4 that included a mock-lynching. However, some media outlets said that the protesters were trying to overthrow the monarchy and that the person who was mock-lynched resembled a monarch.

This sparked outrage among right-wing activists, leading to more violent conflict between student protesters and conservatives.

At 5.30am on October 6, the police used war-grade weapons, including assault rifles, grenade launchers, anti-armour rounds and grenades, in a move to crack down on the protesters. The demonstrators frantically tried to defend themselves but were quickly overpowered.

Right-wing paramilitaries also lynched fleeing protesters, who were reportedly assaulted, robbed, sexually abused, shot, burned alive or beaten to death. Even some who had already surrendered were not spared.

Several sources claimed that more than 100 died at the hands of the military, police and paramilitary forces, while some reports said 46 persons were killed. The incident resulted in 3,094 others being detained for political reasons. Most of them were university students.

Later in the evening that day, Admiral Sangad Chaloryu staged a coup, ending one of the worst massacres in political history. Many students fled to the wild.

As many as 18 people were charged with legal action. Many of them later became prominent academics, such as Surachart Bamrungsuk, Somsak Jeamteerasakul, and Thongchai Winichakul.

In 1977, the government of the day gave amnesty to all political prisoners.