“Before the uprising, Thailand had always been under dictatorship. But it got worse after Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat seized power from Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (in 1957) before the power was transferred to Field Marshal Thanom and Field Marshal Prapas after his death. There was no freedom. Everything was under the dictatorship. The uprising might have defeated the dictatorship, but the student activists misunderstood that they could teach grass-root people democracy. And communist ideology was gaining ground, making the military feel insecure. And that led to the October-6 coup. It has taken people a long time before they realize the importance of democracy. But the old power clique still continues to suppress everything. We need to continue fighting, but fighting through santi prachatham (peaceful means).”
