Monument to the 1973 uprising, Bangkok

Monument to the 1973 uprising, Bangkok - darkometer rating : 2 - A monument to and exhibition about the violent clashes between protesters and government forces in 1973, near the Democracy Monument, where protesters tend to rally to this day in Bangkok , Thailand . > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: the clashes of 1973 followed nearly two years after the previous Thai government was overthrown in a military coup, allegedly to avert a threat of communist insurgency. But the promise of a speedy return to democracy remained unfulfilled for nearly two years. A pro-democracy movement had formed and the confrontations with the authorities escalated over a period of 10 days in October 1973. Arrests, police brutality, etc. couldn't stem the flood of protests, though, and on 14 October the clashes culminated in a massacre, when the military tried to disperse a mass demonstration, the biggest ever in Thailand , with between 200,000 and 500,000 demonstrators. People fled in panic as the military opened fire, even taking cover by jumping into the (filthy!) canal (klong), but for many it was too late. As usual in these affairs, there's a discrepancy between the official death toll (77) and the unofficial estimates of several hundred dead. In the end, however, the government was overthrown and its key members forced to flee the country. This was partly made possible because the military refused to act so violently against a popular uprising. A new constitution was then drawn up and the rector of the university where the protest had begun was appointed as a civilian prime minister.