INTRODUCTION

Thailand is currently experiencing drastic political polarization. Since the 2020–21 pro-democracy protests, traditional values, norms and even knowledge have been challenged by young people who are calling for changes to a social, economic and political structure that they perceive to be corrupt and unfair. As part of this movement, young Thais and the anti-establishment faction are challenging the conventionally accepted narrative of Thai history. No doubt debates on the correct interpretation of Thai history have been going on for decades, but these have been largely confined to academic circles and professional historians. Since 2020, however, historical debates have not only spread into the public sphere but have done so to an unprecedented level.

One of the most prominent events drawing public attention has been the declassification of documents on Pridi Phanomyong (1900–83). Pridi was part of the People's Party (Kanaratsadorn) which orchestrated the 1932 revolution that changed Thailand from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. He served briefly as Thailand's first popularly elected prime minister in 1946. After the death of King Ananda Mahidol or Rama VIII (r. 1935–46) and a military coup d’etat, Pridi fled the country. During his exile, he remained a staunch critic of authoritarianism and the Thai military. Pridi moved to France in 1970, where he remained until his death. In recent times, Pridi has been idolized by many young people, especially those seeking progressive change in Thailand and who had been critical of Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha's regime.

In the 2020s, it came to the public's attention that a “Dossier de Pridi Phanomyong” held by the Centre des archives diplomatiques du ministère des affaires étrangères in Paris was scheduled to be declassified in 2024. Normally, such news would most likely have been exciting only to a handful of academics and historians. On this occasion, the event was written about in various online magazines and newspapers. Many Thai netizens began expressing how much they were looking forward to seeing the contents of this document. As is the case for most online news today, misunderstanding and misinformation widely spread that the dossier included a “letter” written by Pridi. Netizens speculated whether the “letter” would reveal unknown information about various politicians and military officers during his time in politics or, even more scandalously, the accident that caused the death of King Ananda Mahidol.