We proposed the “On Site museum” concept intentionally carved the exhibition to be the design experiment of a Thai political museum in order to support the social movement provide a public space of political fact-finding and shared dialogue community, using design tools and presentation technology.

On the morning of October 6, 1976, right-wing state, para-state, and civilian groups massacred unarmed students at Thammasat University in Bangkok. Taking place at the height of the Cold War, state, monarchical and other elites feared that Thailand would follow its neighbors in transitioning to communism. They demonized the students as alien communists and brutally murdered them in a sustained attack on the university. They defended their actions in the name of protection of the nation and its key institutions of the monarchy and the Buddhist religion and were lauded as saviors rather than being condemned as murderers. Today, forty-four years later, no one has been held to account for the massacre and much continues to remain unknown.

The iconic 1977 Pulitzer prize photo is one of evidence show the senseless brutality of a mutilated corpse dangling from a tree. On the 2016 seminar 40 years later, academics found and announced another heartbroken truth that there were at least 5 people were hung around Sanamluang area opposite to Thammasat University. Apart from historical story, Thailand were under the political circumstance of young generation uprising against the coup government since the beginning of 2020. Oct6 massacre is one of the unspeakable topics, interested by young generation criticize monarchy because the role of network monarchy on the massacre is unclear.

The Oct6 museum project is a group of activist friends, approach me to design and organize the 2020 exibition for the 44th aniversary of the Oct6 massacre after he found the stunnning evidence, the Red Door where 2 activists were hung 44 years ago, a couple weeks before the massacre.

The exhibition took place at the pre-function area of the Thammasat university's meeting hall locate between the football field and Sanamluang where the massacre took place on 1976. We proposed the “On Site museum” concept intentionally carved the exhibition to be the design experiment of a Thai political museum in order to support the social movement provide a place of political fact-finding and shared dialogue, using design tools and presentation technology.

“The Red Door” was put right away in front of the main entrance of the hall as an openning of the story. Two activists were hung, reveal by AR [ Augmented Reality] technology on IPad. Passing through the door, the 3x15 m. panoramic wall of “Sanamlung” stand out at the high volume central hall. The other 5 students were hung on that day revealed by AR at 3 Ipad stations and sounds broadcasted from the military radio on that day rings up.

The shocking truth is to urge visitors to question to the unspeakable history, and find out more through other sections. The next section call “Before Oct6” consolidated the old newspapers and propaganda graphics produced by right wing government supported by USA. at the cold war era, given visitors the past political background. Two sections located at mezzanine level on both side of the central Sanamluang hall. One is overlooking to the tree at Sanamlunag where the 1977 Pulitzer Prize photo took place, the design overlay the hangman AR photo to the current tree. This section dedicated to Neil Ulevich, the Pulitzer Prize photographer. Another side is dedicate to the victims and grief of their families. Looking through the window is the football field where students gathering over the night before the first bomb hit to the crowd. The design place a last photo of “Jarupong Thongsin” who was dragged around the football field after his death with the scout’s scarf over his neck. His parents have never believed his son die until 20 years pass by when a group of Jarupong’s friends organized a small funeral and invited them to the inconvenient truth at the 20th anniversary of the massacre.

The design concept focus to the site where strongly dominate and generate the exhibition contents along with heartfelt emotional memories within the main hall. People could orient themselve to see the past as an witness at the real site particular people who were the witness on that day. Several of them occasionally became a special guide who told their stories while they joined the exhibition tour organized 2-3 times a day.

Visualized the past through AR technology mapping over the realtime location, is the exhibition tool narrates the story and connect the history to the present days. The exhibition got numerous reputation from famous news and academics, also a large attention from visitors at all ages. There are more than 1,000 guests a day on the total of 11 days of exhibitions. It’s been proved that having this kind of public space is a crucial demand for a healthy political community. The Oct6 museum project continue work for the next exhibition on 2022.

Watch design animation : https://youtu.be/qTppc-Kk4ac
6Oct 1976 video simulation : https://youtu.be/0Iijc-gmmvA

Type: Exhibition
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Building Area: 1000 sqm
Construction Cost : 25K USD
Year: 2020
Architects: The Storeys / Ben Winitchakul
Design Team: Ben Winitchakul, Peerawit Wangvanichaphant
AR Technology: Digital Picnic
Graphic & Media: Samesky Publishing
Exhibition Photo: Neil Ulevich, Soopakorn Srisakul
Archive: Documentation of Oct 6
Client / Exhibition Content: The Oct6 museum project
Photographs: Copyright @ The Storeys / Ben Winitchakul
The Oct6 Museum Project
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