Netizens mourn anti-coup taxi driver on his death anniversary
Netizens on Saturday paid tributes to a taxi driver who reportedly rammed his taxi into an Army tank to protest the 2006 coup, and is suspected to have taken his life just months later.
The 2006 coup d’etat was led by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) against the elected government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
A former Army official, Nuamthong Prawan became a taxi driver in early 2006 and made headlines on September 30, 2006 when he drove his taxi, spray-painted with the words "[CDR is] destroying the country", and "Sacrificing life", into an M41 Walker Bulldog tank at Bangkok's Royal Plaza. Nuamthong was severely injured and taken to a police station nearby. "I did it intentionally to protest against the junta that has destroyed our country, and I painted all the words myself," Nuamthong told reporters from his bed at Vachira Hospital.
Nuamthong was charged with damaging state property. Authorities downplayed the incident, saying that Nuamthong was drunk and no messages were sprayed on the taxi. However, several newspapers reported on the legibility of the words painted on the vehicle. He was discharged from hospital on October 12, and attended the 33rd anniversary of the October 14, 1973 democratic uprising.
On November 1, 2006, Nuamgthong's body was found hanging, with a hood covering his face, from a footbridge on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road near the headquarters of Thai Rath newspaper in Bangkok. Police ruled the death as suicide after forensic tests reportedly stated there were no traces of a physical assault or struggle. Newspaper clippings about his crash into the Army tank were also found on his body.
His wife, Boonchu, noted, "I couldn't be more sad losing the love of my life and the leader of my family. I didn't think he would be this brave, but I'm very proud of him for sacrificing for the country."
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Pravit Rojanaphruk, a senior staff writer for Khaosod English news website, said: “In remembrance of Nuamthong Prawan, a taxi driver who rammed his car into an Army tank after the Sept 19, 2006 coup. He later committed suicide by hanging to protest the coup today 14 years ago.”
Pro-democracy activist Sombat Boon-Ngam Anong also posted a similar message on his Facebook page on Saturday, saying: “Nuamthong was a proud soldier and he did what he did because he believed that a soldier’s duty is to protect the people, not oppress them.”