Red shirts recall student deaths
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THE RED-SHIRT MOVEMENT and relatives of student activists killed 40 years ago yesterday organised an event at Thammasat University to honour and praise the students who fought for democracy against a dictatorial regime.
The organisers gave alms to 40 monks and laid wreaths at the Democracy Monument at 7am. They marched from the monument to Thammasat University at 9am. They paused at times during the march and stood in silence to remember the students killed recently and in the past.
Jaran Dithaapichai, a red-shirt leader who was the chief organiser of the event, said hundreds of thousands of students fought against a military regime on October 14, 40 years ago, and allowed Thailand to achieve democracy – although this freedom was later disrupted by coups.
Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang told the marchers that the students fought 40 years ago against injustice and in the hope of seeing Thailand become a land of justice and freedom.
Chaturon said the wishes of the student activists would be achieved by amending the current charter to make it genuinely democratic. He said Article 68 must first be amended to prevent the Constitutional Court from interfering in charter amendments. Later on, Article 291 must be amended so that an entirely new charter could be written.
Seksan Prasertkul, a student leader 40 years ago, said the students fought against the dictatorial regime because they wanted to solve problems of the people by combating injustice.
Seksan said the October 14 event showed people had the power to topple a dictatorial regime.
But Seksan said universities are now mostly dominated by children of well-to-do families, and students do not have a great sympathy for the oppressed or disadvantaged classes and there is limited student activism compared to the past.
Kanit Na-Nakhon, chairman of the Law Reform Commission of Thailand, called for reform of the judicial system in his speech, which also recalled the October 14 student uprising.
Kanit said the Thai judicial system was problematic because officials of the system learned the laws by heart and did not understand the principles behind the laws.
He said law enforcers also shamelessly tried to please politicians in power and feared the lawmakers and their bosses instead of trying to carry out their duty efficiently.
The Suan Dusit Pollster announced that 82.72 per cent of 1,408 respondents said they knew of and remembered well the October 14 1973 event. The survey was conducted from October 8 to 12.
