Three years ago, 24 year old Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul was at the forefront of a democracy movement in Thailand as thousands of young protesters clashed with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets on the streets of Bangkok. The movement shook the kingdom with its calls for reform and unprecedented demands to curb the power of King Maha Vajiralongkorn but gradually dissipated as the coronavirus spread and Panusaya and other leaders were arrested.

 

Many of the young democracy protesters are about to vote for the first time in Thailand’s May 14 General Election. They have not given up their calls for change, even if they know they must be patient in a kingdom where conservative elites have long obstructed reform.

 

Panusaya sent shockwaves across Thailand with her speech on monarchy reform in August 2020, which included a 10-point manifesto.

 

“This election will be very important. It can change the game. If the pro-democracy party wins, we have many options to stop the selection of senators, to write a new constitution or to change various laws.”

 

Millennials and Gen Z – voters roughly aged 40 or younger – account for just over 40% of Thailand’s 52 million-strong electorate. Young Thais might be excited about the prospect of voting Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha out of office, Panusaya said, but they are also not naive.

 

Thailand has been hit by a dozen coups since 1932, most recently in 2014, as the military-royalist establishment crushed governments it considered unsuitable or too progressive. Panusaya recalls the “heartbreak” of the 2019 election when General Prayut managed to assemble a vast coalition to keep out Pheu Thai, the main opposition party that won the most seats.

 

Panusaya is unsure that, even against such a backdrop, pro-democracy parties will have the courage to undertake the kind of comprehensive reform the protest movement demanded.

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/elections/thai-youth-vote-for-reform-despite-political-hurdles

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-05-03

 

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40 yo = young ?

Yeaaaaaaah...

Nope.

Young is 25yo and below.

Is she still in Jail?

The young are always dreamers.

if there are no changes Thailand will never enter the 21st century but stays behind in the 19th and early 20th one....But the time is right now to start...

9 hours ago, stoutfella said:

The young are always dreamers.

And the next leaders.

9 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

if there are no changes Thailand will never enter the 21st century but stays behind in the 19th and early 20th one....But the time is right now to start...

What is exactly reflective of 19th into early 20th century here? 

34 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

What is exactly reflective of 19th into early 20th century here? 

The traffic lights at the Second/Klang junction in Pattaya...... but one might also include the state of the democracy. 

Edited May 4, 20233 yr by jacko45k

33 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

The traffic lights at the Second/Klang junction in Pattaya...... but one might also include the state of the democracy. 

Actually, what that statement truly meant [or could be interpreted as] was it isn't Western 21st century.

Rather ignorant..

1 hour ago, zzaa09 said:

What is exactly reflective of 19th into early 20th century here? 

if you look around you you will see it.. I don't need to tell you...freedom of speech and writing, section 112, superstitious for lottery numbers and other things outdated laws etc etc

Edited May 4, 20233 yr by ikke1959

1 minute ago, ikke1959 said:

if you look around you you will see it.. I don't need to tell you...

Some here aren't terribly observant....if at all.

4 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Some here aren't terribly observant....if at all.

than I only say section 112..... you don't need to be observant to see it is not 21st century anymore... Look Saturday to the crowning of Charles just an idea how things could be too

2 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

What is exactly reflective of 19th into early 20th century here? 

Let's start with the simple things like lack of Cleansed Drinking Water from the Taps and a proper Sewarage System followed by Overhead Power Lines etc etc; i could fill a page !

Thailand's Feudal Patronage System will remain in place for at least another two or three Generations; so there will be no serious change for the foreseeable future.   

 

The only thing that can change things faster is outright Revolution; Hang 'Em High etc etc but the poorly Educated Masses are too dumbed down for that to happen !

the youth shall one day prevail.

 

the dinosaurs are on borrowed time. 

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Panusaya is unsure that, even against such a backdrop, pro-democracy parties will have the courage to undertake the kind of comprehensive reform the protest movement demanded.

Nobody ever got everything they wanted all at once.  Politics just doesn't work like that, nor should it.

 

Changes come gradually, little by little, as society needs to adjust and ensure they are workable.  If you had a party coming into power and changing everything, it would be like a revolution (or an attempt at one), and they don't always work out so well.

4 hours ago, hotchilli said:

And the next leaders.

Not all of them.

An off topic post has been removed.

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

And the next leaders.

If current leaders hold to power like Biden, Xi, Putin, etc..., young people will have to wait for a long time before they are in power. By then they'll be old themselves.

Edited May 4, 20233 yr by GameMaster

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Not all of them.

But some.

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

But some.

Enough to influence the future will be sufficient. 

let's be real.  the military excuse for the coupe was to "protect the monarchy". any rooting around will trigger another

8 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Thailand's Feudal Patronage System will remain in place for at least another two or three Generations; so there will be no serious change for the foreseeable future.   

 

The only thing that can change things faster is outright Revolution; Hang 'Em High etc etc but the poorly Educated Masses are too dumbed down for that to happen !

One final generation [the current one] is all that they need, as there's really no one left to continue this heritage. 

The patronage system will dissolve sooner than some might be considering. 

Too many are still awaiting this proposed revolution and taking advantage of these special situations when they might present themselves.......hopefully. 

12 hours ago, bogs smith said:

the youth shall one day prevail.

 

the dinosaurs are on borrowed time. 

If they do the world is phucked.