When a nation’s history is debased, so are its citizens
Those who seem to belittle the removal of the plaque commemorating the abolition of the absolute monarchy in 1932 on the grounds that the transition did not lead to the establishment of democracy are completely missing the point.
Whatever one’s views of the events of 1932, they surely represent a significant milestone in Thailand’s history, and therefore the removal of the plaque should be considered an act of cultural and historical vandalism.
The history of every country is an evolving saga, littered with successes and failures, progress and setbacks, good people and bad people. If the record of these events is manipulated, edited and indeed rewritten simply to fit with the narratives being promoted by various power groups, then a nation’s history is debased, and people will gradually lose touch with their real cultural and historical heritage.
In making a humorous reference to the possibility of the Democracy Monument disappearing overnight, Somsak Pola makes a serious point. I really wouldn’t want to be a history teacher in Thailand. Separating the true from the false, and the permitted from the forbidden would surely be a Herculean task.
Robin Grant
