Democracy Monument

Lonely Planet review

Four-pronged Democracy Monument holds a key place in Bangkok's political history. Built to commemorate the nation's transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in 1932, the monument is the natural home of pro-democracy rallies, including the tragic demonstrations of 1992 that turned bloody at the hands of the military.

There were 75 cannonballs around the base, to signify the year BE (Buddhist Era) 2475 (AD 1932). The four wings of the monument stand 24m tall, representing 24 June, the day the constitution was signed, and the central plinth stands 3m high (June was then the third month in the Thai calendar) and supports a chiselled constitution. Each wing has bas-reliefs depicting soldiers, police and civilians who helped usher in the modern Thai state.

During the era of military dictatorships demonstrators often assembled here to call for a return to democracy, protests that ended in violence and death on 17 May 1972 and 14 October 1973.

While you're in this area, if you head north from the Democracy Monument on Th Din So you'll see many shophouses that date to the reigns of Rama V (King Chulalongkorn; r 1868-1910) and Rama VII (King Prajadhipok; r 1925-35). As the entire block to the northwest of the Democracy Monument belongs to Wat Bowonniwet, the shop owners pay rent directly to the temple.