City plaque prank draws activist vow

Political activist Srisuwan Janya plans to petition the Fine Arts Department and the chief of Phra Nakhon district office to take legal action against prodemocracy protesters who put up a copy of the Khana Ratsadon plaque at Sanam Luang, a registered historic site.

The plaque was fitted into a concrete surface in Sanam Luang yesterday morning. Sanam Luang is protected under the Ancient Monuments, Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums and anyone who enters this historic site to damage it or lower its value may face up to seven years in prison and/or a maximum fine of 700,000 baht, said Mr Srisuwan. And because Sanam Luang is a registered historic site, the punishment rises to 10 years in prison and/or a maximum fine of 1 million baht, he said. He was speaking in his capacity as secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) also has regulations to ensure good maintenance of Sanam Luang, which allows the ground to be used for only specific types of activities, he said. The activities allowed are royal ceremonies, government ceremonies, important festivals organised by the state and an annual Thai sports event, he said. The law also prohibits activities deemed improper or illegal from being conducted at Sanam Luang, including those deemed offensive to other nations, their religions or their royal institutions, he said.

The protesters had violated these laws and regulations by destroying a fence, invading Sanam Luang and causing damage, he said. He would petition the department and the district office not only to pursue legal action against these protesters but also to remove the controversial plaque from Sanam Luang. The brass plaque went missing mysteriously in April 2017 and was later replaced by a new one, causing outrage among activists who demanded to know the whereabouts of the historic original.