A royal avenue at the centre of Thailand's brewing political conflict

Ratchadamnoen Avenue is both a street in Thai capital and reflection of the whole polity.

A large photo of King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida, with elaborate topiary, on a traffic island in Ratchadamnoen Avenue. Above: Former Thai senator Chattawa Klinsuntorn, speaking about Oct 6, 1976, said he saw a half-naked woman being dragged by
Pro-democracy protesters removing potted plants from an area around the Democracy Monument in an attempt to occupy it during an anti-government rally in Bangkok on Oct 14. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
A large photo of King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida, with elaborate topiary, on a traffic island in Ratchadamnoen Avenue. Above: Former Thai senator Chattawa Klinsuntorn, speaking about Oct 6, 1976, said he saw a half-naked woman being dragged by
The new-look Supreme Court with its Thai-style roof line, in a throwback to the traditional buildings used to denote hierarchy. ST PHOTO: TAN HUI YEE
A large photo of King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida, with elaborate topiary, on a traffic island in Ratchadamnoen Avenue. Above: Former Thai senator Chattawa Klinsuntorn, speaking about Oct 6, 1976, said he saw a half-naked woman being dragged by
Above: Royalists waiting outside Bangkok's Grand Palace on Oct 14 to receive King Maha Vajiralongkorn. ST PHOTO: TAN HUI YEE
The new-look Supreme Court with its Thai-style roof line, in a throwback to the traditional buildings used to denote hierarchy.
Above: Former Thai senator Chattawa Klinsuntorn, speaking about Oct 6, 1976, said he saw a half-naked woman being dragged by a rope around her neck. ST PHOTO: TAN HUI YEE
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The exuberance was palpable as the crowd gathered at Bangkok's Democracy Monument under a darkening sky.

Forming human chains, they carefully removed hundreds of potted plants inside the traffic circle - adornment that made it look more like a medieval French garden than a towering reminder of the day in 1932 when the king was forced to give up absolute power. The protesters said they wanted to reclaim the monument for the people.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 22, 2020, with the headline A royal avenue at the centre of Thailand's brewing political conflict. Subscribe