1972, Nov - Throughout the month, the National Student Center of Thailand (NSCT) conducts a campaign against Japanese goods. The students demand that Tokyo makes concessions concerning Thailand’s trade deficit with Japan. Anti-Japanese feelings in the Thai population raise to a level, not reached since the end of World War II. The anti-Japanese campaign marks the beginning of the students?recognition as a political force in Thailand.
1972, Dec - The NSCT holds the first protracted rally, directed against the junta’s decision to consolidate its power by placing the judiciary under direct government control.
1972, Dec 1 - At 12:23, the auspicious time given by the royal astrologer, Prince Vijiravudh, eldest son of King Bhumiphol, is invested as Crown Prince.
1972, Dec 15 - A new legislative Interim Assembly is instituted and the prime minister is entrusted with forming a new cabinet.
Mid 73 - Student demonstrations widen.
1973, Oct 14 - A student rally develops into a colossal protest which leads to a confrontation of soldiers and students. As the confrontation becomes violent more than 400 people die, several thousands are wounded and 4 buildings are burned. The day is later designated as Wan Maha Wippasok (The most tragic day). King Bhumiphol persuades Prime Minister Field Marshall Thanom Kittikachorn and his two closest associates, Deputy Prime Minister Field Marshall Prapass Charusathiara and Colonel Narong Kittikachorn (a son of Thanom), to leave the country. The rector of Thammasat University, Sanya Dhammasakdi, is appointed prime minister. For several days, Bangkok remains in a state of chaos as police and military forces keep off the streets to escape acts of revenge from roaming bands, mainly composed of students.
1973, Dec 10 - The King selects thousands of individuals from all walks of life to represent the general population in electing among themselves members for an Interim National Assembly.
1973-1974 - Prices of commodities go up and social unrest, disorder and anti-government activities increase. The government of Sanya Dhammasakdi is widely considered weak.
1974 - The country becomes politicized along ideological lines. Leftist and rightist forces oppose and confront each other on political and non-political issues. The hotel and textile industries are badly hit by strikes.
1974, Mar 7 - The National Assembly begins deliberating a draft of a new constitution.
1974, Jun - In the leftist scene, links are established among students, workers, and peasants. Students provide protest facilities and act as mediators between workers and peasants on the one hand and the government on the other hand. Students are getting more sympathetic to the workers and peasants. However, the student movement splits with vocational students turning right and parting from the NSCT to form their own separate group called the Red Gaur. (The designation "red" in their name is misleading as they are rather opposed to communist ideology.) This split of the students?movement, for no clear reason, causes bomb throwing and violence. In an amazing development of group identities in the following months, academic students form a considerable leftist block while vocational students form an equally considerable rightist block.
1974, Jul 3 - A bloody 3-day riot begins in Bangkok’s Chinatown when a Thai policeman issues a ticket for wrong parking to an ethnic Chinese taxi driver. Because the taxi driver is unwilling to obey police orders to move his vehicle, the police want to take him to the precinct. The riot breaks out when the taxi driver resists arrest and Chinese youth of the vicinity try to come to his rescue. The riot leaves 30 killed and hundreds injured. As many of the rioting bands had been youth, among them also some political motivated groups, student activism in general loses much of its popular support.
1974, Aug 15 - The draft constitution is approved by the National Assembly with 280 to 6 votes.
1974, Sept - Some 1,200 peasants from the northern and eastern portion of Thailand join demonstrations in Bangkok, supported by students, workers and even monks and novices. They demand land allocations, financial aid and enactment of a Land Rent Act. It is the biggest peasant demonstration in Thai history.
