They appeared on the wall of a downtown temple and the Democracy Monument. Beamed onto the Defense Ministry and a BTS station.
Police today launched a hunt after “Seek the Truth” was projected by unknown activists last night at locations throughout Bangkok to commemorate the bloody end to massive demonstrations that paralyzed the capital 10 years ago.
While it’s unknown who was behind the campaign for justice in the government-ordered crackdown that killed nearly 100 people, the police today ordered that they be found and apprehended. It was unclear what crime they might be charged with.
#SeektheTruth was the Thai Twitter’s top-trending hashtag Monday afternoon.
The message was projected on significant sites from the saga which unfolded 10 years ago from March through May, when more than 100,000 people, many Redshirt supporters of former ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, converged on the capital to demand elections.
Locations the messages were spotted included those marked by scenes of violence: the Democracy Monument near the first spasm of violence on April 10; a corner of Soi Rangnam where two civilians were shot; and Wat Pathum Wanaram, where soldiers are suspected of killing six people who were seeking sanctuary at the conclusion of the crackdown on May 19, 2010.
The Defense Ministry’s iconic yellow facade also saw the message:
“The facts of May 2010. 1. Soldiers drive out Redshirts from CTW 2. Soldiers take over CTW 3. Fire broke out while soldiers took over CTW 4. Soldiers didn’t allow fire trucks to go in.”
Huge crowds, overwhelmingly consisting of families and seniors protesting peacefully, were finally dispersed by force on May 19 after they had effectively closed a wide swath of downtown from MBK Center across to Phloen Chit, and down to Sala Daeng.
The counter-narrative spun by the other side was that they were all paid protesters who descended on the capital to create chaos. After the crackdown concluded, arsonists set part of CentralWorld shopping mall ablaze, and blame of the Redshirts further hardened attitudes.
Though charges were later filed against Abhisit and his deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, they were later dropped and no one held accountable for unleashing the military to deadly effect on the crowds.
Nearly 100 people were killed, mostly civilians. Five soldiers died, as well as a Japanese journalist.
A year later, elections were called and Thaksin’s younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, won a landslide election only to be ousted in another coup three years later.
