Thai netizens have been posting pictures of mysterious messages projected onto key locations of the May 2010 crackdown on the Red Shirt protests. The messages appeared during Sunday night (10 May), while the hashtag “#FindingTruth” (“#ตามหาความจริง”) trended on Twitter.
(Source: Nutchanon Payakaphan)
The locations where the hashtag has been seen include Wat Pathum Wanaram, Soi Rangnam, the Ministry of Defence, and the Democracy Monument.
Other than the hashtag, messages such as “May 1992, 2010: killing fields in the city” and “Facts about May 2010: (1) the military forced all Red Shirts out of CTW (2) The military took control of the CTW area (3) The fire happened when the military took control of CTW (4) The military wouldn’t let fire trucks in to put out of the fire” were also seen.
The hashtag projected onto the Ministry of Defence building. (Source: Nutchanon Payakaphan)
The identity of the person or group who projected these messages is currently unknown, but Khaosod reported that the police are now trying to find the person or people responsible, although they are not sure whether this action violates any law.
Meanwhile, the hashtag has been trending on Thai Twitter, as netizens used it not only to share pictures of the messages but also of the protest and information about the crackdowns.
The Democracy Monument with the hashtag projected onto the wing to the front left. (Source: Nutchanon Payakaphan)
The hashtag #FindingTruth projected onto the wall of Wat Pathumwanaram (Source: Nutchanon Payakaphan)
The projections appear only a week before the 10th anniversary of the May 2020 crackdown on Red Shirt protestors on 19 May. During the crackdowns in April and May 2010, 94 people were killed and around 2000 were injured. More than half of those who died were killed between 13 – 19 May.
Justice delayed is justice denied: remembering the 19 May 2010 killing of ‘red shirt’ protestors
10th anniversary of the Red Shirt crackdown; justice still delayed, denied
The casualties of the April-May 2010 crackdowns included unarmed protestors, volunteer medics, reporters, photographers, and bystanders. While the Abhisit government claimed that the protestors were ‘terrorists,’ news reports, pictures, and video footage show that none of the victims were armed, and until now, no trace of gunpowder has been found on any protestors’ hands. According to Human Rights Watch’s 2011 report, the excessive and unnecessary force used by the military caused the high number of death and injuries, including the enforcement of “live fire zones” around the protest sites in which sharpshooters and snipers were deployed. No officials responsible for the crackdowns have so far been held accountable for these casualties.
