A COMMEMORATIVE event was held at Thammasat University to mark the 47th anniversary of the October 6, 1976 massacre with a lot of people including relatives of at least 46 people who died that day, students, representatives of various foundations and politicians participating, Thai Rath newspaper said.
Move Forward advisory chairman Pita Limjaroenrat, party leader Chaithawat Tulathon and Progressive Movement spokesperson Pannikar Wanich personally came to attend it, arriving early in the morning.
There was a religious ceremony with alms offered to 19 monks to make merit for those who died fighting for democracy that day.
A lot of wreaths were laid and among them were from Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, Relatives of October 6 Heroes Group, Pridi Banomyong Institute, October 14 Heroes Group, Thammasat University Student Organization, Thammasat University Student Council, 18 Former October 6 Suspects Group, politicians and labour unions.
The death toll from the violent crackdown by Thai police and lynching by right-wing paramilitaries and bystanders against the protesters who had occupied Bangkok’s Thammasat University and the adjacent Sanam Luang on that day has been officially put at 46, Sanook.com said.
However unofficial statistics from Puey Ungphakorn Institute for Economic Research say that more than 100 people were likely to have died in this crackdown.
Autopsies of those who were killed found that they had either been shot, beaten or burned to death.
Prior to the massacre, the protesters had been holding ongoing demonstrations against the return of former dictator Thanom Kittikachorn to Thailand since mid-September.
Although news of this massacre spread around the world, the then government did not arrest a single person for killing students and other protesters.
On the other hand 3,094 students and protesters were arrested on that day before being gradually released with the last 19 set free over two years later.
CAPTIONS:
Move Forward advisory chairman Pita Limjaroenrat, party leader Chaithawat Tulathon and Progressive Movement spokesperson Pannikar Wanich are among a large number of people who attended the October 6, 1976 commemorative event. Top photo: Thai Rath, others: Matichon
Insert: The arrested students and protesters lying down at Sanam Luang after they were rounded up. Photo: Organisation to Record the October 6, 1976 Event and published by Sanook.com
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