The Stories of Construction and Contention: The 14th of October 1973 Memorial and the 2020 Student Movement in Thailand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/arv.2024.4Keywords:
Sip Si Tula, 14th of October 1973 Memorial, Student Movement, Thai Student Movement, 1973 October RevolutionAbstract
This study argues that the construction of the 14th of October 1973 Memorial (Anuson Sathan Sip Si Tula) embodies the complicated Thai democracy and the democratic quest and struggles of the Thai people. By looking at the historical accounts and narratives of its construction and analyzing the symbols and meanings of the structure, this article reveals that from being a space for remembrance and a venue of commemoration of the October 1973 student revolution, this memorial transformed into a platform for democracy over time up to the emergence of the 2020 student movement. The protest activities, particularly the performative actions conducted by the student protesters in this structure in 2020, contributed to the contention and layering of the meanings of the memorial. This paper also asserts the significance of the 14th of October 1973 Memorial and its role in Thai democracy discourse and the legacies of student activism in Thailand.
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