One of the darkest days in Thailand’s modern era was remembered today with a religious rite.
Played down in history books and mainstream media, the mob murder and execution of what was likely more than 100 students by enraged ultranationalists was recognized nearly four decades on in a ceremony on the Tha Prachan campus of Thammasat University for the families of those killed in the Oct. 6, 1976, massacre.
While the annual religious service was permitted, the annual event’s usual seminars and academic discussions of what happened were banned.
In the media, some major news outlets have made no mention of this today. Others engaged in euphemistic word play while avoiding mention of the massacre of students peacefully demonstrating against totalitarianism.
For now, one can still read reliable accounts of what happened.
Photo: @Skully
Live from Thammasat.
No seminar about 6 oct this year.
Only making a merit & a remembrance of those killed. pic.twitter.com/Ec6fhohdou
— Skully (@chomsowhat) October 6, 2014
Related:
Thammasat bans annual observance of murdered students
