With the exception of some proceedings held at Thammasat University yesterday, most of Thailand and the Thai press seem to be sleeping through the anniversary of the end of absolute monarchy in the revolution of 1932 and the issuance of Thailand's first Constitution. That's because the first Constitution was actually issued on June 27, 1932, but one of Thailand's many dictators switched the date to December 10, which he decreed as the date of the first "permanent" Constitution. That was 19 constitutions ago and the word "permanent" seems to have vanished from the document's description.
Thailand has changed constitutions far more than Liz Taylor has changed husbands in the past 70 years, so it's probably understandable that remembering the first one is no big deal. Nonetheless, the Bangkok elite always seem to do their very best to forget that the absolute monarchy was supposed to have ended 77 years ago, in June or December. Indeed, it's bitterly ironic that a secret trial for alleged lese majeste against one outspoken Thai lady began in Bangkok this week, on the anniversary of the week that the absolute concept that "the King can do no wrong" was supposed to have ended.
The red shirts, however, have scheduled a big rally this Saturday to presumably remind people of the significance of 1932. No doubt, many of the people running things right now in Bangkok will do their best to pretend that this week never happened.
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Happy Constitution Day
Started by Hedda, Jun 25 2009 05:28 PM
1 reply to this topic
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Posted 26 June 2009 - 11:44 AM
It's amazing how many of Thailand's worst laws are left-overs from some period of dictatorship, which never seem to get undone by democratically elected Parliaments. If they were smart, they's have a sunset provision in their constitutions providing that all old laws lapse after XX years unless renewed by a duly-elected parliament. That could clear out a lot of old and archaic garbage put into effect by autocrats generations ago.
