Stolen Thai plaque a sign of anti-democracy
BANGKOK: It’s a whodunit worthy of a Dan Brown novel: a small bronze plaque commemorating Thailand’s 1932 revolution is ripped out from a public place by parties unknown and substituted by one praising the Chakri Dynasty, whose 10th king took the throne in December.
A disinclination by the authorities to find those responsible adds another element of mystery. The original plaque, installed in 1936, marked the spot where a group of progressive army officers and civil servants proclaimed the end of the absolute monarchy in order to steer the country towards democracy.
“At this place, at dawn on June 24, 1932, we the People’s Party have given birth to the constitution for the progress of the nation,” is a translation of the words engraved on the brass disc.
The ideal still hasn’t taken hold. A royalist military government that took power in a coup three years ago still rules Thailand, and its newly enacted constitution aims to limit the power of elected officials and give it instead to institutions traditionally associated with the palace, including the courts, the civil service and the military.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said last week that he has ordered an investigation into the plaque’s disappearance, but warned against making a political issue of it.
He could understand why some people might be upset, he said.
“But look at what we are doing today,” he said. “Would it be better for us to look ahead at the future? Old subjects are just history.”
The old plaque, about 30cm (12 inches) in diametre and lying flush with the pavement, was embedded in Bangkok’s Royal Plaza, a vast open area in the midst of government buildings and military installations.