Thanathorn buys Pridi’s home in France to raise historical awareness

During a visit to Nation Group on Friday as part of his campaign to raise awareness on the importance of senators, Thanathorn said he intended to preserve the house, located in Antony, a southern suburb of Paris, as a memorial to the Thai political revolution of 1932.

He added that he had bought the house from its Vietnamese owner and that the purchase was completed last month.

Thanathorn, the former leader of the now defunct Future Forward Party, said he was still figuring out how the house should be renovated. He expected to announce the plan to the public in May or June after discussing with members of the Banomyong family.

“The push for awareness of history and culture is as important as political engagement in Parliament,” said reformist Thanathorn. “This is a battle against erasure of memory. Monuments and evidence of the 1932 revolution have gradually vanished. Our task is to make people remember these things. That's the reason why I decided to buy the house."

Thanathorn added that one could view his effort as a cultural stride after his political career ended. In this sense, he said, the buying of the house had very little to do with politics.

“Turning the house into a museum does not equal making the 1932 revolution a personal matter. After all, this is not a ‘Thanathorn House’,” he said.

He added that he was willing to sell the house at cost price to the Thai government, if it was interested.

Pridi was a key figure in the 1932 political revolution that transformed Thailand from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. He also played a crucial role in drafting Thailand’s first constitution, thereby contributing significantly to the country’s move towards democracy.

He spent his later years in exile, including time in China and France. He passed away in Paris on May 2, 1983.