These groups were first employed to counter protests of the pro-democracy and left-wing students movement , attacking them with firearms and grenades . When the ideological conflict escalated , they started assassinating labor and peasants union officials and progressive politicians , the most famous was Dr. Boonsanong Punyodyana , the general secretary of the Socialist Party of Thailand . The conflict reached its peak with the Thammasat University massacre in 1976 , which the Royal Thai Armed Forces and Royal Thai Police , supported by the three aforementioned paramilitary groups , stormed the university and shot mostly unarmed student protesters indiscriminately , resulting in at least 46 deaths . A military coup was staged later in the same day . During the military rule , the paramilitary groups ' popularity diminished
Thammasat University massacre
Thammasat University massacre
Death squad