Democracy Monument @ Bangkok [Thailand]

Do you know any monuments in Singapore? To be honest, I am not sure although if you ask me about Bangkok, I can easily name two; the Victory Monument and the above Democracy Monument! 

Without any towering buildings and near the Grand Palace (and my favorite Thipsamai), it's hard to miss the structure that has a diameter of about 66 meters, with four wings that soared 24 meters towards the sky.

Completed in 1939, the monument was commissioned to commemorate the Siamese Revolution in 1932, when Thailand (then known as Siam) transitioned to a constitutional monarchy. 

The use of "democracy" is a joke as it was more a coup "by a small group of officers and some civilian collaborators, while the king was on holiday at the seaside". And despite the efforts, the monarchy continues to wield considerable power and respect over and from its people.

It does serve some purpose when it comes to "democracy" as the site for some major demonstrations; most recent of which would be the Thai protests in 2020, in spite of the pandemic. As the monument was in the centre of a roundabout, I didn't manage to step in a closer look.  

Click here for my 7 Days 6 Nights Papazao Itinerary to Bangkok