He said that it is not justifiable to say that the plaque belongs to only certain groups including the heirs of members of the People’s Party, known in Thai as Khana Ratsadorn, or the party itself.

The Democrat Party was established 10 years later than the Siamese Revolution, therefore it could not be said that Khana Ratsadorn is a predecessor of the party, which should be responsible for the missing plaque.

“This way of thinking, of finding who actually owns the plaque, Khana Ratsadorn, their heirs, or our party, could be misleading and only causes frustration in the public,” said Abhisit.

He urged people not to politicise the issue.

The disappearance of the plaque ignited a big dispute in Thailand between pro-democracy citizens and the state authority and royalists. The plaque was fixed on the grounds of the Royal Plaza in 1936 on the spot where People’s Party leader Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena stood to announce the end of absolute monarchy, paving the way for a constitutional monarchy.

While activists wanted the authority to conduct an investigation to find the missing plaque and prosecute those who had replaced it, police and government officials argued that they did not own it, and the plaque had no historic value to necessitate an investigation or prosecution.