7. Policy to Promote Democracy and Civil Society Process

Mr. President,

Democracy and civil society, wherein the people can participate in national and local development, are important mechanisms in ensuring that economic and social development are truly in line with the people’s needs.

The Government is determined to promote and develop democracy, with an emphasis on popular participation and the protection of people’s rights and freedoms. That the Government received the people’s trust so overwhelmingly in the last election has given rise to a new dimension in the Thai political system: a strong government. However, the Government fully recognizes that in a democratic society, there must be checks on the administration of public affairs, through a strong civil society. Therefore, the Government will listen to the people’s opinions through appropriate and diverse formats on important issues, in line with Article 59 of the Constitution, and work with all to promote and elevate human rights to international standards, including through setting up a center to search for missing persons and a system for identifying unidentified corpses, for greater justice in Thai society.

The Government shall promote and support the work of independent organizations in accordance with the Constitution, promote the role of community leaders or local philosophers, decentralize power to local authorities so that localities may become more self-reliant and make decisions on local affairs, and promote constructive private development organizations and civil society, in which people can participate in policymaking, political decision making, economic, social and political development planning, and monitoring the exercise of state power at every level.