Black May (1992)

Black May (Thai: พฤษภาทมิฬ "pruetsapa tamil", lit. "savage/vicious May") is a common name for the 17-20 May 1992 popular protest in Bangkok against the government of General Suchinda Kraprayoon and the bloody military crackdown that followed. Up to 200,000 people demonstrated in central Bangkok at the height of the protests. The military crackdown resulted in 52 officially confirmed deaths, many disappearances, hundreds of injuries, and over 3,500 arrests. Many of those arrested were tortured.

Background

On February 23, 1991, Army Commander Suchinda Kraprayoon overthrew the government of Chatichai Choonhavan. The coup-makers, who called themselves the National Peace-Keeping Council (NPKC), appointed Anand Panyarachun as Prime Minister. Anand's interim government promulgated a new constitution and scheduled parliamentary elections for March 22, 1992.

A government coalition with 55% of the lower house was formed, which appointed General Suchinda as Prime Minister. Massive public protests immediately followed. On May 9, Suchinda responded by saying that he would support a constitutional amendment making individuals who had not been elected to Parliament ineligible for the Premiership. Tensions dissipated.

Popular protests

The truce was short-lived. On May 17, 1992 the two leading government parties announced that, while they supported the constitutional amendment, they also favoured transitional clauses that would permit Suchinda to serve as prime minister for the term of the Parliament. As it became clear that the government parties would not honour their word, plans went ahead for the Sunday 17 May strike. [cite book|title=Angels and Devils|author=David Murray|publisher=White Orchid Press (1996)]

May 17

Obviously concerned about the people's mounting anger, the Interior Minister ordered provincial governors to prevent people from travelling to Bangkok to join the rally. [Murray] Suchinda threatened to sack the Governor of Bangkok for allegedly assisting the anti-government rallies of the previous week, while the army hastily arranged a competing "Anti-Drought Musical Festival" to be held at the Army Auditorium. [Bangkok Post, May 17, 1992] In addition, radio stations were banned from playing records of several popular singers who had voiced their support for the demonstrators. [The Nation, May 16, 1992]

Nevertheless, the rally was the biggest since the downfall of the Thanom regime in 1973. At its peak, 200,000 people filled Sanam Luang, overflowing on to the encircling streets. [cite book|title=Thailand's Struggle for Democracy|author=David van Praagh|publisher=Holmes & Meier (1996)] [Murray] At about 8:30pm, Chamlong Srimuang and Dr. San Hatthirat led the protesters on a 2-kilometre march to Government House, to demand Suchinda's resignation. [cite book|title=Chamlong Srimuang and the New Thai Politics|author=Duncan McCargo|publisher=Hurst & Co. (1997)] As they reached the intersection of Rachadamnoen and Rachadamnoen Nok Avenues, they were halted at Phan Fa Bridge, which had been barricaded with razor wire by the police. At 11:00pm a group of demonstrators attempted to break through the barricade, but were repulsed by water cannon from four fire trucks blocking the way. The protesters then tried to commandeer one of the fire trucks, and were clubbed by riot police armed with batons. Stones and Molotov cocktails were soon flying. [McCargo] [Murray] Chamlong used a loudspeaker to exhort the marchers not to attack the police, but his words were lost in the unrest. In this initial clash, about 100 protesters and 21 police were injured. [Murray]

May 18

By midnight two fire engines had been set alight, and things were spiralling out of control. Some 700 troops had been called in and the fighting fanned out from Phan Fa Bridge. At 0:30am Suchinda declared a state of emergency, making gatherings of more than ten people illegal. The government urged people to go home, but already hospitals in the area were receiving the wounded, including four with gunshot wounds who died later that night. [Murray] Chamlong remained near Phan Fa Bridge and the nearby Democracy Monument. Around 4:00am, soldiers threatened the nearly 40,000 protesters by firing M16 rifles. An hour and a half later, they began firing again. By the morning, the army moved more troops in, and crowds grew even larger at other sections of the city.

Early on the afternoon of 18 May, Suchinda publicly accused Chamlong of fomenting violence and defended the government’s use of force. Shortly later, troops, firing continuously in the air, moved in on the crowd surrounding Chamlong. The troops handcuffed and arrested Chamlong.

The crowds did not disperse, and the violence escalated. After government troops had secured the area around Phan Fa Bridge and the Democracy Monument, protests shifted to Ramkhamhaeng University across the city. By the evening of 19 May, some fifty thousand people had gathered there.

Royal intervention

Early on the morning of 20 May, Princess Sirindhorn addressed the country on television, calling for a stop to the unrest. Her appeal was rebroadcast throughout the day. In the evening, her brother, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, broadcast a similar public appeal. Then at 9:30 pm, a television broadcast of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Suchinda, and Chamlong was shown, in which the King demanded that the two put an end to their confrontation and work together through parliamentary processes. Following the broadcast, Suchinda released Chamlong and announced an amnesty for protesters. He also agreed to support an amendment requiring the prime minister to be elected. Chamlong asked the demonstrators to disperse, which they did. On 24 May 1992, Suchinda resigned as Prime Minister of Thailand.

Press censorship

The front page of the "International Herald Tribune"'s 20 May 1992 issue was blacked out, as was an editorial of the "Bangkok Post" of the same date. Three other newspapers were shut down on May 21.

Aftermath

The violence resulted in 52 officially acknowledged deaths, hundreds of injuries, and many disappearances. Over 3,500 people were arrested; hundreds of them were women and children. Many arrested were tortured; some were beaten, left to sit in sweltering sunlight, soaked in gasoline and threatened with immolation, and left to starve.

A House of Representatives Special Committee and a Fact-Finding Committee led by Sophon Rattanakorn shared the same conclusion: the government of General Suchinda used excessive force to crack down on the rally. Some facts from the investigation, such as names of military officers and military units responsible for rounding up, killing, and torturing of protesters were revealed to the public. It is believed that these facts were recorded on the report of the Defense Ministry's Fact Finding Committee led by General Pichit Kullawanit, and are kept secret to this day from the Thai public.

The military constitution of 1992 remained in place until 1997, when a replacement was drafted and promulgated.

Chamlong later apologized for his role in the events: "I wanted a peaceful rally," he said afterwards. "I can’t deny some responsibility for the damage and loss of life. I feel deeply sorry for those families whose members were killed in the incident, for those people who were injured and their families." Nevertheless, he noted that "we were right in what we have done." He later retired from politics.

Suchinda was later appointed Chairman of Telecom Asia (today known as True), a company which received a concession to install 2 million telephone lines in Bangkok during the Anand government.

Anand became Chairman of Saha-Union Group, which had received an Independent Power Producer concession during his government.

References

External links

* [http://angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/blackmay/blackmay01.shtml Remembering Black May 1992] — an in-depth recounting of the events that led up to the demonstration and all the way through to the aftermath
* [http://www.siamweb.org/content/News-Culture/142/year1997_tha.php Black May 1992] — a brief timeline of Black May
* [http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Biography/BiographySrimuangCha.htm 1992 biography of Chamlong Srimuang]
* Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, [http://www.seameo.org/vl/92may/92may1.htm "Political disharmony in Thai society"]
* Physicians for Human Rights, [http://www.phrusa.org/publications/thailand.html "Bloody May: Excessive Use of Lethal Force in Bangkok: The Events of May 17-20, 1992"]