FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

The hopes of a first-time voter

The hopes of a first-time voter

My name is Phuwit Limviphuwat, and I am a reporter for The Nation.

At the age of 22 and as a first-time voter, I have felt alienated from Thai politics from the time I began gaining an understanding of it.
Many years ago, when I watched thousands of people marching in the streets, I struggled to relate to or understand the passion that drove them.
I believe the younger generation, myself included, feel that Thailand deserves a democracy and that new voices and new ideas need to be heard. “Out with the old, and in with the new”, as they say.
However, at my age, I have already witnessed two military-led coups and sometimes lose hope for the prospects of democracy in my country. 
Yet, despite the foreign media portraying the elections in a negative light, marked by phrases such as “rigged system” and “military junta to stay in power”, the huge turnout for the advance voting on March 17 did bolster my faith to some extent.
My dream is that one day Thailand will have a deep democratic culture entrenched in its political tradition, and young voters are key to keeping this dream alive.

RELATED
nationthailand