Democracy Monument—Bangkok, Thailand.
Posted by: 
Ianatlarge
N 13° 45.402 E 100° 30.110
47P E 662369 N 1521324
A monument commemorating the 1932 abolition of absolute monarchy in Thailand.
Waymark Code: WM8CYA
Location: Thailand
Date Posted: 03/14/2010
Views: 12
Prior to 1932 Thailand had been ruled by an absolute monarch. In practice, of course, such absolute rule was limited by other powerful figures, principally the royal princes of the extended royal family. The power of this group, and their hold on political offices and national policy, led a group of western educated Thais to plan and to implement a coup to replace the absolute power of the King with a constitutional monarchy. This plan was implemented successfully in 1932, the King was forced to acceded to a sharp diminution of his powers. Regretfully, however, democracy did not flourish, and the coup rapidly led to a military dictatorship, one which supported the Japanese Empire during WW2. Even with this past the monument is considered by the Thai people to represent their interests. For example, it was the site of the uprising in 14 October 1973.
The monument is 24m in diameter, and is raised slightly above the surrounding road. The centre of the design is a representation of the Thai constitution of 1932, atop two golden bowls. Surrounding the constitution are four 24m high, wing-like structures flaring upwards into the sky, representing the Thai armed forces - army, navy, air force and police, which carried out the 1932 coup (ignoring the civilian element). The motif is of the military leading and protecting the country. By the time the monument was built in 1939 Thailand was under military rule, and the image presented by the monument reflects this political reality.
The monument is located near the 'tourist' area of Bangkok, not too far from the Grand Palace.
The "Official Tourism" URL link to the attraction: [Web Link]
Hours of Operation:
Open area, open to public 24/7. Occasionally, public events are held at the site.
Admission Prices:
Free.
Approximate amount of time needed to fully experience the attraction: Less than 15 minutes
Transportation options to the attraction: Personal Vehicle or Public Transportation
The attraction’s own URL: Not listed
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