The People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) yesterday marked the first anniversary of the start of its anti-government protests as red-shirt leaders remembered a taxi driver who took his own life to protest against a coup eight years ago.
Phra Suthep Prapakaro, centre, also secretary-general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, chats with other PDRC leaders as they hold merit-making ceremonies at Wat Than Namlai (Suan Mok Khapalaram) in Surat Thani's Chaiya district to mark the first anniversary yesterday of the beginning of the group's campaign to oust the Yingluck Shinawatra government. Patipat Janthong
Yesterday carried special significance for both sides of the political divide.
More than 500 PDRC core leaders and members gathered at a temple in Surat Thani's Chaiya district to commemorate those who died in demonstrations against the Yingluck Shinawatra government. The PDRC protests lasted more than six months before they were cut short by the May 22 coup.
Meanwhile, red-shirt leaders and Pheu Thai sympathisers laid flowers near the spot where Nuamthong Praiwan hanged himself on Oct 31, 2006, to oppose the military coup that year. More than 100 police and soldiers were deployed yesterday at a commemorative pillar at the bridge where he died, in anticipation of crowds turning up to mark his death.
At Wat Than Namlai (Suan Mok Khapalaram), key PDRC figures arrived for the gathering, including Sathit Wongnongtoey, Issara Somchai, Phuttiphong Punnakan, Akanat Phrompan and Anchalee Paireerak.
The temple is where Phra Suthep Prapakaro (formerly PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban) is based following his entry into the monkhood on July 15.
Phra Suthep told the gathering yesterday that patience and tolerance were essential features of the PRDC's campaign, adding that those who died during the demonstrations have been and will be remembered and extolled.
Phra Suthep urged PRDC co-leaders and members to let go of the bitter past and focus on making merit and practicing dhamma for their own sake. To make merit for the dead, 136 men will be ordained at a mass ordination at the temple.
The newly ordained monks are planning to travel to Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok on Nov 9 to wish His Majesty the King well. In the evening, the monks will visit Wat Bowon Niwet to attend the Aphitham prayers for the late Supreme Patriarch, and will then travel back to Suan Mok, Phra Suthep said.
On Oct 31, last year, the Democrat Party led a protest to oppose the Pheu Thai Party's controversial amnesty bill at Samsen railway station. Phra Suthep, then a lawmaker, called on supporters nationwide to pressure the Yingluck government to withdraw the bill from parliament. Several MPs resigned from the party, and Phra Suthep became the protest leader.
The Pheu Thai Party later bowed to mounting pressure and agreed to withdraw the bill, although the protest continued and evolved into an anti-government rally seeking the ouster of the Yingluck government. The military coup ended the protests which had raged for more than six months.
On Sept 30, 2006, Nuamthong Praiwan spray painted his vehicle with an anti-coup message and rammed it into an army tank to oppose the Council for Democratic Reform takeover. A month later, Nuamthong committed suicide by hanging himself from a footbridge on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, near the offices of the Thai Rath newspaper.
Warning signs were put up yesterday to prevent any political gatherings of more than five people at the site.
Boonchu Praiwan, Nuamthong's widow, laid flowers at the commemorative pillar before being asked by police officers to leave.
Other people and representatives from student organisations came, but authorities did not allow them to hold any commemorative activities.
Core leaders of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, including Jatuporn Prompan, Tida Tawornseth, Weng Tojirakarn, also attended the event and laid flowers at the pillar.
The wife and daughter of taxi driver Nuamthong Praiwan lay flowers at a commemorative pillar, which is part of a footbridge on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road near the offices of the 'Thai Rath' newspaper. Nuamthong committed suicide by hanging himself from the footbridge on Oct 31, 2006, in protest against the Sept 19, 2006 coup. Yesterday was the eighth anniversary of his death. Pattanapong Hirunard