Parliament Speaker Urges Nation to Break Free of Conflict Trap
Thailand's Parliament Speaker urged the nation to break free of political conflict and build "democracy that works" during a youth civic engagement event, emphasizing that losers must accept electoral defeats to move forward.
On July 24, 2026, Sophon Saranrom, President of Parliament and Speaker of the House of Representatives, presided over the opening of a program promoting and supporting youth civic participation in democratic systems to develop sustainable democracy. The event included the 2026 youth civic engagement activity and a special lecture titled "Youth Power and Democratic Development in a New Era."
Sophon stated that today's youth are tomorrow's leaders, and he is entrusting the nation to this new generation of 25-year-old democratic youth activists, hoping they will become a driving force for the country. He explained that democracy is government of, by, and for the people, but Thailand upholds a democracy with the King as head of state. This provision is necessary because without a nation, sovereignty, and territory, Thai citizens would have no country to call home. A meaningful life must be rooted in virtue, just as good leaders must be moral and ethical. The challenge lies in preserving the nation amid global conflict and ideological division, which has become a trap for society. Democracy must have boundaries; regardless of the system of governance, the goal is to preserve the nation and ensure citizens live happily.
"I want to see democracy deliver tangible happiness to people—what we call democracy that works," Sophon said. "It must be proven through action, not just words. Differing opinions are normal, but they must be debated in parliament. Good democracy is not just majority rule; it must use reason to persuade those who disagree to see eye-to-eye without voting. That is true democracy. But if persuasion fails, we vote and must accept the result. However, our nation remains stuck here—losers refuse to accept defeats, keeping us trapped in conflict."
Sophon stressed that democracy must be grounded in correctness. He noted that Thailand once possessed compassion, generosity, and mutual understanding, but these qualities are fading. He urged the nation to preserve these virtues and called for respect for human dignity, warning against class divisions.
Natthsakdi Sarika, a 2023 Democratic Youth Representative from Phichit Province, then presented legislative proposals to strengthen civic awareness among democratic youth. He highlighted the drug crisis as a structural problem affecting multiple dimensions of society, from family breakdown to economic losses and loss of life. He called for continued efforts to address drug addiction in Thailand.
The Parliament Speaker affirmed his long-standing commitment to tackling drug issues and pledged to continue these efforts. Certificates were awarded to exemplary Democratic Youth representatives in three categories: promoting democracy and public participation, social and community work, and democratic leadership. The program, marking 25 years of youth civic engagement activities, brought together 400 Democratic Youth participants from all four regions of Thailand to share experiences and build cooperative networks.
