Democracy Monument

Democracy Monument stands in a large traffic circle on Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue, where it meets Dinso Road in the Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok. It lies roughly halfway between Sanam Luang and the Golden Mount, a short walk from Khao San Road. It was commissioned by the government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram and unveiled in 1939.

The monument commemorates the Siamese revolution of 1932, which changed the country from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. Its design was led by the architect Mew Aphaiwong, and the sculptures were made by the Italian-born sculptor Silpa Bhirasri, regarded as the father of modern Thai art.

Many of its measurements carry symbolic meaning tied to the date of the revolution, 24 June 1932. Four wing-shaped pillars, each 24 metres high, surround a central turret. On top of the turret sits a carved representation of the 1932 constitution resting on two golden offering bowls. The turret has six gates said to stand for the six principles of the People's Party, and 75 small cannons are set into the outer ring. Reliefs around the base show soldiers, civilians and scenes of everyday life.

Over the decades the monument has been the focus of major political gatherings, including the student protests of 1973 and 1992, and later demonstrations.

The monument sits in the middle of busy traffic, so most visitors view it from the pavement. It is lit at night. There is no entry fee.

Phibun had larger plans for the area. He wanted the monument to be Bangkok's Arc de Triomphe, with Ratchadamnoen as its Champs-Élysées, and the avenue was widened into a ceremonial boulevard for the purpose. Hundreds of shade trees were cut down, and residents and shopkeepers along the route, most of them Chinese, were given 60 days' notice to leave. The Danish firm Christiani & Nielsen carried out the construction.

The reliefs reward a close look from the pavement. They show the armed forces as the main actors of the revolution, with civilians shown receiving their protection; the only woman depicted is a mother holding a child. One panel, on balance and the good life, includes a nude athlete with a shot put that is European in style. The monarchy does not appear anywhere in the carvings, which historians often point out as the most striking absence in the design.

The revolution it marks was nearly bloodless and took place while King Prajadhipok was on holiday at the seaside resort of Hua Hin. A station on the planned Orange Line is under construction near the monument and has drawn criticism over its possible effect on the historic shophouses along the avenue. The traffic circle is busiest at rush hour; early morning or after dark, when the monument is lit, are the easiest times to photograph it from the corners of the junction.