“October 6” is the dark fallout of “October 14”. What happened exactly 47 years ago was considered the blackest chapter of the modern political history of the “Land of Smiles”. It shows that dangerous extremism can exist wherever it likes on the national realm and can turn unspeakably violent and cruel. It’s both a lesson that needs to be learned and a historical period that shall never repeat itself. 

Whenever serious political conflicts rock Thailand, the first thing peace lovers say is “There will be another October 6 if we are not careful.” Such is the deep-rooted notoriety of the day, which came just three years after a democratic euphoria that was October 14. There were times when speaking about October 6 had to be in the form of whispers. There were times when China and Russia were darlings of Thailand’s political activists, who regarded the United States as an “evil empire.”

Talking about “before” and “after” of October 6 or the circumstances leading to and following the event remain prejudiced until today, depending on whose opinions are being sought. Thais and the rest of the world only know for a fact that there was a violent crackdown and lynching, and most of the people who died were university student protesters encamped inside the Thammasat campus.

After the day of extreme violence, leftist protesters and sympathizers fled to jungle areas controlled by communist armies. They lost faith in the Thai state and took up arms. But soon after they were to be disillusioned by “inequality” at the new surroundings and when the Thai government embarked on a large-scale political pardoning programme, the rebels returned to the fold.

Before October 6, 1976, a large number of leftists, including students, workers and other activists had been holding vociferous protests or demonstrations against the return of former dictator Thanom Kittikachorn, whose much-hated government crumbled in the October 14, 1973 uprising. The focus on Thanom, however, turned into a proxy in an escalating ideological conflict, with idealistic demands and issues stacking up and anxiety rocketing about ballooning political influences of strongly-united student activists. The rest is history, one of Thailand’s saddest.

Death and injury tolls have varied, ranging from scores killed and over a hundred wounded to more than a hundred deaths. Most of those who died were young demonstrators. While the numbers might not be absolutely shocking to some, the manner of the storming of the Thammasat campus was, and to all.

For years, October 6 cut a big swathe through Thai society. When the wound was no longer fresh, it became a large scar. Whatever October 6 left on the Thai psyche, it apparently never really heals. Constant concern that the awful history can repeat itself is the evidence.

October 6 inspired many folksongs that talked about nature and simplicity of the country life, some with a hidden message critical of unfairness elsewhere. They have also been poems, books and movies, and even many young students of today are influenced by their October 6 “heroes”.

When compared with today’s political activism, a big irony can be seen. About 50 years ago, political, economic and ideological factors caused the society to polarize into socialist-minded left on one side, and conservatives, the right, on the other. The former were anti-West and the latter looked for western support. Those were the days when capitalism was demonised by protesters and communism or Marxism were learning materials of anti-state Thai activists.

Today, capitalism is associated with democratic freedom whereas communism goes hand in hand with dictatorship. To think that October 6 protesters went to the jungles to join communist “comrades” in order to seek “equality” and life with the communists was once deeply romanticized is mind-blowing. 

Absurdity aside, October 6 is the biggest evidence of how radicalism or extremism can tear social fabric apart. International politics played a significant role as well. It was a time when world analysts talked about such things as “the next domino to fall”, an intense fight for global dominance leading to absolute mistrust at all levels.

While Thailand reluctantly remembers one of its gloomiest days, it actually wants to lock October 6 up in the box of unwanted history. What happened was so repugnant that many are convinced that it can never take place again. Others, however, believe that the day, its causes and ramifications is a great escape artist.

Tulsathit Taptim