Students briefly detained for marking 1932 revolution
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THREE university students who marked the June 24, 1932 Siamese Revolution by holding flowers at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok were detained briefly yesterday at Samranrat Police Station while statements were taken.
Meanwhile, some 30 political activists and poets gathered without incident at a bronze plaque commemorating the revolution, which ended absolute monarchy, near the King Rama V equestrian monument.
The ceremony started at dawn at the spot where the “Kana Lardsadorn” issued a statement saying they had successfully staged a bloodless coup against King Prajadhipok and that the country was moving towards a constitutional monarchy.
Yesterday’s event began with activists and political observers arranging flowers around the plaque to pay tribute to those who brought democracy to Thailand, and poets reading odes saluting the revolution, democracy and liberty.
The participants included prominent political activists such as Phra Maha Praiwan, Sirawit New Serithiwat, and Champ – a student who was arrested last year for reading George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984”.
Yesterday’s event ended peacefully even though there were some 15 police nearby keeping an eye on proceedings.
