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Tha Phra Chan

Bangkok stubsBuildings and structures on the Chao Phraya RiverNeighbourhoods of BangkokPhra Nakhon districtPiers in Thailand
Retail markets in Bangkok
Phra Chan Market
Phra Chan Market

Tha Phra Chan (Thai: ท่าพระจันทร์, pronounced [tʰâː pʰráʔ t͡ɕān]) is a pier on Rattanakosin Island, Bangkok, on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, in Phra Nakhon District. The pier is beside Thammasat University's campus of the same name. Tha Phra Chan literally means 'moon pier' (tha, 'pier' or 'jetty', phra chan, 'moon'). More broadly, the name also refers to the area around the pier and the university. The area is also known as a marketplace for Thai amulets and astrologers. It is also full of shops, book stores, restaurants, and food stalls.Tha Phra Chan today used to be the palace of Prince Prachaksinlapakhom (founder of Udon Thani Province) who dedicated the land to the privy purse. Later the area was rented by a ferry company. Its name is derived from Fort Phra Chan (ป้อมพระจันทร์), one of 14 fortifications around the Grand Palace dating to the early Rattanakosin period. These forts and moats were built to protect Bangkok (or Rattanakosin in those days), given their proximity to the Grand Palace and the Chao Phraya River. As time went on, the forts were demolished, but with their names still used for the streets and places around Rattanakosin Island. For Fort Phra Chan, in addition to being the name of the quarter, there is small road in form of soi Phra Chan Road (ถนนพระจันทร์). This road is one of the oldest in Bangkok. On the north side of the road is the wall of the Front Palace, now a wall of Thammasat University, and on the other side is Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit. The road is sheltered by big Burma padauk trees and served by some bus routes such as 1 (Thanon Tok–Sanam Luang), 32 (Pak Kret–Wat Pho), 53 (Thewet–Sanam Luang), 82 (Phra Pradaeng–Sanam Luang), 203 (Tha It–Sanam Luang).Tha Phra Chan is busy during the day, as its Wang Lang Pier ferries commuters between the Phra Nakhon side (Bangkok) to the Thonburi side (Chao Phraya River west bank). On the opposite side of Tha Phra Chan are found Siriraj Hospital, Wat Rakhang, and the Thon Buri railway station, colloquially known as Bangkok Noi railway station, which is the origin of the Southern Line, including the Kanchanaburi Line, the Death Railway.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Tha Phra Chan (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Tha Phra Chan
Trok Phra Chan Klang, Bangkok Phra Nakhon District

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N 13.756518 ° E 100.488635 °
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ท่าพระจันทร์

Trok Phra Chan Klang
10200 Bangkok, Phra Nakhon District
Bangkok, Thailand
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Phra Chan Market
Phra Chan Market
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Thammasat University
Thammasat University

Thammasat University (Abrv: TU Thai: มธ.; Thai: มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์, RTGS: Mahawitthayalai Thammasat, pronounced [tʰām.mā.sàːt]) is a public research university in Thailand with campuses in Tha Phra Chan area of Phra Nakhon District near the Grand Palace in the heart of Bangkok; in Rangsit, 42 kilometers north of Bangkok; in Pattaya, a resort city on the eastern seaboard of Thailand; and in Lampang Province. As of 2019, Thammasat University has over 33,000 students enrolled in 33 faculties, colleges, and institutes and 2,700 academic staff.Thammasat is Thailand's second oldest university. Officially established to be the national university of Thailand on 27 June 1934, it was named by its founder, Pridi Banomyong, the University of Moral and Political Sciences (Thai: มหาวิทยาลัยวิชาธรรมศาสตร์และการเมือง; RTGS: Mahawitthayalai Wicha Thammasat Lae Kanmueang). It began as an open university, with 7,094 students studying law and politics in its first year. In 1960, the university ended its free-entry policy and became the first in Thailand to require passing national entrance examinations for admission. Thammasat today offers more than 240 academic programs in 33 different faculties and colleges on four campuses. Over the 80 years since its founding, Thammasat University has evolved from an open university for law and politics to an international university offering all levels of academic degrees in many fields and disciplines. It has graduated more than 300,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The university's alumni have included some of Thailand's prime ministers, leading politicians, and governmental figures, Bank of Thailand governors, and jurists.Tha Phra Chan Campus, the original campus of the university, is in Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. The campus is in close proximity to many tourist destinations and was the site of the 14 October 1973 uprising and the 6 October 1976 massacre. Rangsit campus, where most undergraduate programmes are concentrated, is in Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani. Thammasat has smaller regional campuses in Lampang and Pattaya. Admission to Thammasat is highly competitive. Only applicants ranking in the top 10 national scores are chosen for study at Thammasat, especially in the social sciences and humanities—considered the most selective in Thailand. QS awarded Thammasat University Four QS Stars. A Four QS Star rating means "...highly international, demonstrating excellence in both research and teaching. The institution provides an excellent environment for students and faculty."

6 October 1976 massacre

The 6 October 1976 massacre, or the 6 October event (Thai: เหตุการณ์ 6 ตุลา RTGS: het kan hok tula) as it is known in Thailand, was a violent crackdown by Thai police and lynching by right-wing paramilitaries and bystanders against leftist protesters who had occupied Bangkok's Thammasat University and the adjacent Sanam Luang, on 6 October 1976. Prior to the massacre, thousands of leftists – students, workers and others had been holding ongoing demonstrations against the return of former dictator Thanom Kittikachorn to Thailand since mid-September. Official reports state that 46 were killed (both sides) and 167 were wounded, while unofficial reports state that more than 100 demonstrators were killed. In the "Documentation of Oct 6" project, Thongchai Winichakul argued that official death toll should be 45, 40 demonstrators, 5 perpetrators because one demonstrator died in jail after the incident.In the aftermath of the events of 14 October 1973, the military dictatorship which had ruled Thailand for more than a decade was overthrown. Political, economic and ideological factors caused the society to polarize into socialist-minded left, and conservative and royalist right camps. The unstable political climate which was exacerbated by the existence of fragile coalition governments, frequent strikes and protests, and the rise of communist governments in neighboring countries led at least two factions of the armed forces to conclude that they needed to launch another coup in order to restore order; one faction plotted to bring Thanom back in order to provoke turmoil which could be used to justify a coup. On 19 September 1976, Thanom returned to Thailand, was instantly ordained at Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, and was visited by the King and the Queen, resulting in anti-Thanom protests and demonstrations. On 5 October, the protesters were accused of lese-majeste following a mock play which led to right-wing allegations that its actor looked like the Crown Prince; the police and rightist paramilitary groups then gathered outside the university. At 5.30–11.00 a.m. on the morning of 6 October, the police used war-grade weapons, including assault rifles, grenade launchers, anti-armor rounds and grenades, to wage the crackdown against the surrounded protesters. The protesters briefly tried to defend themselves, but they were quickly defeated. Right-wing paramilitaries also lynched fleeing protesters; they were assaulted, robbed, sexually abused, shot, burned alive, and beaten to death, even some who had already surrendered. Bodies were also desecrated. 3,094 protesters were arrested on that day, while none of the perpetrators were brought to justice to date. On 6.00 p.m. that same evening, a coup was launched citing lèse-majesté and heavily-armed protesters. In the aftermath, the preceding age of "democratic experimentation," which had lasted only about two years and eleven months, was ended. Thanin Kraivichien was named Prime Minister and the ultra-right government further fuelled the communist insurgency. The public were largely silent following the government stance of "forgive and forget", including the modern Thai public who are more sympathetic to the massacred protesters. Scholars have pointed out that the monarchy contributed to the events, at least partly, by supporting the rightist paramilitaries and the visit of Thanom.: 31 

Front Palace (Bangkok)
Front Palace (Bangkok)

The Front Palace (Thai: วังหน้า, RTGS: Wang Na), officially the Phraratchawang Bowon Sathanmongkhon (พระราชวังบวรสถานมงคล), was the residence of the royal holder of the same title (also known as the uparaja and usually translated as "viceroy" or "vice king", and sometimes as "Lord" or "Prince of the Front Palace", or "Prince-successor") during the early-to-mid Rattanakosin Kingdom. The palace was built at the same time as the Grand Palace, following the accession of King Rama I and the foundation of Rattanakosin (today's Bangkok) as the capital city in 1782. It was located at the northern end of the inner fortified city, directly in front of the Grand Palace, where the king lived, and provided security to the city. Most of the Front Palace was built under Surasinghanat, who had been named by Rama I, though it saw further additions and modifications throughout the periods. It was home to five of the six Princes of the Front Palace, until the death of Wichaichan in 1885, after which the position was abolished by King Chulalongkorn in favour of a modern succession system. The palace compound was subsequently converted for various functions. Today, only the buildings of the main residence remain, housing the Bangkok National Museum. Other parts of the historical compound are now occupied by Thammasat University, the National Theatre, the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, and the northern part of Sanam Luang.