Disappearing democracy

• Published date: 05 January 2019
• Publication title: The Nation - Thailand

Rights activists suspect a hidden agenda as another historic symbol of freedom is stealthily removed

The Constitution Defence Monument that stood for decades in Bangkok's Laksi district was wrapped up at the tail end the year and soon after taken away in the dead of night. It occupied what is now a construction site for a new Skytrain line, so it might be presumed that it had to be taken out of the way. But some historians and pro-democracy activists and folks on Facebook are sceptical and worried.

And no one in authority seems to know who took the monument away, where it is or where it might reappear. This was the second symbol of Thai democracy to vanish mysteriously in two years. In April 2017, a small plaque commemorating the 1932 revolution that ended absolute monarchy, which was embedded in the asphalt at the Royal Plaza, was replaced with one lauding the monarchy. There was no advance announcement and no explanation afterward. In November 2014, six months after the military coup, a monument in Buri Ram commemorating the Kingdom's first constitution was pulled down, ostensibly because it was blocking traffic. It was destroyed, but eventually a replica replaced it. 'Removing these symbols of democracy is like erasing our political history,' says Chatri Prakitnonthakarn, a conservationist and architect who lectures at Silpakorn University on the history of Thai architecture. The Constitution Defence Monument, he told The Nation Weekend, was 'very important' in terms of modern Thai political history. 'It commemorated the government's victory over a pro-monarchist rebellion 80 years ago.' Prince Bowordet led that failed revolt in 1933, seeking to restore the absolute monarchy replaced the year before by constitutional democracy.Who was behind it? The monument was erected in 1936, and on December 27, 2018, it was removed in the middle of the night as young pro-democracy activist Karn Pongpraphapan and a friend streamed the event on Facebook Live. Soldiers were on duty, but it was not clear who was doing the heavy lifting or who they were working for. Karn and his friend were arrested for recording the incident and claimed the police officer told them they were threatening 'national security'. They were soon released without charge, but their photos and video were erased. No one at...