The Cost of Politics in Thailand
In a report by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, Chanintorn Pensute and Pailin Phujeenaphan’s research highlights an emerging trend in Thai politics, in which substantial financial investments by candidates are rendered ineffective due to decisions increasingly being taken outside the electoral process, often behind closed doors.
As a result of this development “a significant point is the increasing trend where electoral results no longer determine who governs.” In light of all of this, there is a serious lack of transparency.
Another key trend to be extracted from the findings, is that Thai politics is not only unpredictable but also expensive, requiring aspiring candidates to maintain financial stability amid disruptive situations such as coups, party dissolutions, and political bans. The authors underscore “As a result, potential candidates must be financially independent, not relying solely on an MP’s salary for survival.” With tremendous costs and uncertainty, the odds are stacked against aspiring candidates.
Finally, an indispensable recommendation from the report emerges, urging young people interested in politics to actively seek involvement, both formally and informally. “For those who wish to engage with political parties, it has been found that newly established political parties and those with a significant proportion of key figures under the age of 40 actively encourage youth participation and clearly provide opportunities for young people to play roles within the party at various levels” noted by Chanintorn Pensute and Pailin Phujeenaphan, highlighting the importance of youth engagement in shaping the country’s future.
The purpose of this report is to illustrate the complexity and costs associated with political participation in Thailand, and to provide insight into how these challenges can be overcome to create a more inclusive and transparent political environment.
