Thai military forbids event to commemorate democratic icon

Thai authorities forced the cancellation of an event to commemorate the death of a taxi driver who committed suicide because of the 2006 coup d’état, claiming that the event carries a political message.   

According to Sripai Nontri, an assistant manager of the Heroes of Democracy Foundation, a total of 11 military and police officers led by Pol Lt Col Pasit Premprik came to the office of the Foundation in Pak Kret District of Nonthaburi Province, north of Bangkok at around 12:30 pm on Tuesday, and ordered the organisers to cancel an event to commemorate the opening of the Nuamthong Praiwan Meeting Room.

The event, which was planned to be held with a seminar on ‘The path to democracy: what do we learn from Nuamthong Praiwan?’ was scheduled to take place on 26 April 2015, but has had to be postponed indefinitely.

Military and police officers at the office of the Heroes of Democracy Foundation in Pak Kret District of Nonthaburi Province on 21 April 2015    

Nuamthong Praiwan was a pro-democracy taxi driver who attempted to commit suicide on 30 September 2006, 11 days after the 2006 coup d’état on 19 September, by driving his taxi into a military tank, but survived. Later on 31 October 2006, he hanged himself from the bridge in front of the headquarters of Thai Rath newspaper on Vibhavadi Rangsit road. His suicide note stated that he wanted to prove wrong a high-ranking army officer who said that no one would die for their ideology.

Sripai said that the officers told the organisers that they must ask for permission to hold the event from the authorities concerned. However, since the event’s title contains the name of the late democratic icon who signifies democracy, it is better not to hold the event at all.

The officers also threatened to take legal action against the organisers if they violate the order by using their authority under the junta’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Order 3/2015 invoking Section 44 of the Interim Charter, which gives military officers nearly absolute power to maintain national security.

The officers added that they would send personnel to monitor the event if it went ahead, Sripai told Prachatai.

According to the organisers, the Heroes of Democracy Foundation decided to name the meeting room after the late taxi driver because he stood for democracy until his last breath.

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