What are the conditions for democracy and people’s participation in Thai society?
Thai politics has long been shaped by shifting alliances, mass protests, and repeated interventions by the military and the judiciary. These patterns have created a persistent deadlock between authoritarian and democratic forces. Yet, over the past five years, important changes have emerged. Public tolerance for authoritarian rule has declined, and people are demanding accountability, equality, and a stronger voice in their own communities.
This shift is visible not only in elections, but also in everyday life, through art, culture, and grassroots initiatives across both urban and rural areas. These are developments that reflect a deeper cultural and social transformation in Thailand, where diverse expressions of identity and participation challenge narrow definitions of “Thainess” and demonstrate how people are actively shaping their future in the present.
In this seminar, we bring together key democracy activists from Thailand to discuss the past, present, and future conditions for democracy and people’s participation in Thai society.
Adding context and texture to the discussion, we will be screening selected excerpts from the prize winning Thai documentary film “The Last Breath of Sam Yan.” The film shows the impact of profit-driven urban development in Bangkok and focuses on the local community’s resistance and efforts to protect cultural heritage from corporate expansion.
Speakers:
- Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, is the former student union president at Chulalongkorn University and co-producer of The Last Breath of Sam Yan.
- Netnapa Khumthong, is Assistant Professor at Chulalongkorn University and long term democracy activist
- Jirapreeya Saeboo, is a political commentator and the Managing Editor oft he independent publishing house Sam Yan Press.
- Thanalop Phalanchai, student activist
The seminar will be led by Marte Nilsen, Senior Researcher at PRIO and co-director of the PRIO Centre on Culture, Conflict and Coexistence.
