Saturday, April 15, 2017

"BANGKOK — One of the nation’s few remaining acknowledgments to the birth of its democracy disappeared Friday"

K:
A brass plaque honoring the bloodless 1932 revolution, the removal of which had been threatened by revanchist ultraroyalists, was dug up and replaced with a message asserting a nation at ease.

“Long live Siam forever! Happy, fresh-faced citizens build up the power of the land!” the replacement reads. “Happy, fresh-faced citizens” takes up the most place in the middle.

Circling the plaque, the text quotes the proverb of Chakri Dynasty’s motto: “Loyalty and love for the Triple Gem, one’s clan and having a honest heart for one’s king is good. These are the tools to make one’s state prosper!”

Before it was replaced, the plaque paid tribute to what are regarded as “the promoters” who lead a bloodshed-free revolt that directly resulted in Thailand becoming a democratic constitutional monarchy.