ABSTRACT
Rajadamnoen Avenue in Bangkok was built during the late nineteenth century as a representation of power. Today, it is still the main ceremonial street in the capital. While it serves royalty and existing power holders, the Rajadamnoen is increasingly used by major opponents as the place to make their demands, claims, and marks; it has been the locus of all major contests to power and authority in Thailand in the twentieth century and beyond. Recently, protests were staged by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD or Yellow Shirts) and the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD or Red Shirts). While challengers to power have transformed its landscape, the avenue has also conditioned how contestants use this royal path and where along it they make their marks and representations.
