Pro-democracy activists gathered in front of Army Headquarters to call for military reform at an event commemorating the suicide of a taxi driver, who hanged himself from a bridge to protest the 2006 military coup d’état.

In the late afternoon of Saturday, 31 October 2015, anti-junta activists from the Resistant Citizens Group and a large crowd gathered at the 14 October Memorial on Rachadamnoen Avenue on the 9th anniversary of the suicide of Numthong Praiwan, a taxi driver.

The event occurred with a heavy presence of police and military, who came to maintain security and monitor activities.

After gathering at the 14 October Memorial, the activists and their supporters marched to the Headquarters of the Royal Thai Army where they called for reform of the Thai Armed Forces.

The group urged the military to return to the barracks and return the country to civilian rule, saying that the military must serve the people and not look upon them as enemies.

The pro-democracy activists also said that the military must be reformed into a professional armed force without divisions and fragmentation under different military leaders, but united to safeguard the interests of the people and not a few individuals.

Pakawadee Veerapaspong, an activist who joined the event, said “the military in developed countries must be under civilian rule because the military and soldiers have weapons. How can we know that certain military leaders won’t use their weapons to acquire power for themselves and others?”

Speaking of the current military government, she said “If you think that you can manage [the country], why did you become military [officers]? Why didn’t you become some sort of business managers in the first place?”

After briefly gathering in front of Army Headquarters, the group marched back to the 14 October Memorial to commemorate the death of the late taxi driver with pro-democracy speeches and songs.

Nuamthong Praiwan’s first attempt at suicide was in 30 September 2006 when he drove his taxi into a tank, but he survived. Later on 31 October 2006, he hanged himself from a bridge in front of the headquarters of Thai Rath newspaper on Vibhavadi Rangsit road. His suicide note stated that he wanted to disprove a high-ranking army officer who claimed that no one would die for their ideology.