The Cadre Journal presents a discussion with Thongchai Winichakul—former Thai student leader and historian—on the Thai social movement in the 70s, the rise of socialism and anti-imperialism, American influence over Thai politics, and the atrocities that followed.

About the October 6 Massacre

On October 14, 1973, the Thai people succeeded in throwing out the military dictatorship that had been ruling Thailand for 16 years. The victory allowed for unprecedented freedom of expression and assembly. Interests in socialism and anti-imperialism flourished. Students, workers, and farmers joined forces to continue their struggle for a better future.

The right fought back through propaganda and violence. Paramilitary groups were set up. Assassinations were rampant. This concluded on the morning of October 6, 1976, during a sit-in at Thammasat University where people were protesting the return to the country of the previously ousted dictators. Police started shooting into where students were before advancing onto the campus. The massacre left at least 41 dead, with other estimations going up to hundreds

About the Speaker

Thongchai Winichakul was a student organizer in the 70s. He was one of the people arrested and later imprisoned on October 6, 1976. He and other student leaders were released 1978 on the condition that he was not involved in further political activities.

He is now Emeritus Professor of History at University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Research Fellow Emeritus at Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), Japan, and currently a Visiting Professor at the Pridi Banomyong International College (PBIC), Thammasat University. His book, Siam Mapped (University of Hawaii Press, 1994), was awarded the Harry J Benda Prize from the Association for Asian Studies (AAS, USA) and the Grand Prize from the Asian Affairs Research Council (Japan). His other book, Moments of Silence: The Unforgetting of the October 6, 1976, Massacre in Bangkok (University of Hawaii Press, 2020) was awarded the humanities book prize by the European Association for Southeast Asian Studies in 2022.

His research interests are in the intellectual foundations of modern Siam under colonial conditions (1880s-1930s) including modern geography and sovereignty, historical ideology, and the legal system. He has published eight books and several articles in Thai. He is also a well-known critic of Thai political and social issues.