Thailand in transition: Seminar highlights pressing political problems!

Thailand in transition: Seminar highlights pressing political problems!

Thailand's political landscape is the focus of a major Democratic Party (ปชป.) seminar entitled "What does Thailand need from political parties?" took place on November 11, 2025. Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva opened the event and emphasized the urgency of addressing the country's challenges. The speakers included well-known personalities such as Banyong Pongpanit, Chairman of the KKP Financial Group, and Jariporn Jarukornsakul, CEO of the WHA Corporation, who were supposed to work together to develop proposals for solutions to structural problems in the areas of economics, politics and society.

A central aim of the seminar was to put a finger in the wound and point out the problem of the reduced GDP growth, which fell from 9-10% to just 1% during the COVID-19 pandemic. Banyong made it clear that Thailand did not rank in the top 50 in any of the eight economic development indices, including GDP, inflation and corruption. This alarming diagnosis also brought Jariporn onto the scene, who warned of the impending crisis and called for making the best possible use of the current opportunities. She expressed concerns about government efficiency and transparency and pointed to widespread corruption that casts a shadow over the country.

Challenges in a chaotic environment

Suwit Maesincee, former Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, highlighted the challenges Thailand faces in a “chaotic world” in his remarks. He spoke of several structural problems that need to be addressed: the rule of law must be enforced instead of the mere rule of law, while corruption and political division are causing society to drift apart. In order to overcome these problems, it is important to involve older and younger generations in the political process.

The political situation in Thailand in particular is characterized by a rich history that dates back to human settlement at least 40,000 years ago. The kingdom, known as Siam until 1939, is geographically located in the heart of Southeast Asia and is surrounded by neighbors such as Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. The country has a diverse ethnic group, with a majority of Thais but also including indigenous groups such as Mon, Khmer and Malay. The capital, Bangkok, is bustling with life as the rate of urbanization increases and more and more people flock to the big cities.

A country with great geopolitical importance

Thailand is considered a developing country with an important geopolitical role in Southeast Asia. The basis for economic success is a mix of agriculture, industry and tourism, with agriculture, as the leading rice exporter, still employing three quarters of the workforce. Additionally, the country has seen a surge in tourism in recent years before the pandemic hit the industry hard. In 2019, almost 40 million international tourists came to Thailand.

The health and education systems offer high standards but face challenges due to climate change, which is particularly affecting Thailand. The economic difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the political instability are signs that Thailand urgently needs reforms to create room for maneuver and move the country towards a sustainable future.

Given these issues and the need to integrate the voice of the people and reform political structures, it will be exciting to see how the suggestions from the seminar can be implemented. As Abhisit Vejjajiva aptly noted, it is more important than ever to address the major challenges and revitalize the political space.

For more information about Thailand's economic situation, history and political developments, you can view the reports on Bangkok Biz News, Wikipedia and Britannica visit.