DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY-MAKING MECHANISM OF THAI POLITICAL PARTIES

Abstract

                    The objectives of the research were 1) to study and analyze the general conditions and obstructive problems related to policy-making mechanism of Thai political parties, 2) to study the policy-making mechanism of Thai political parties, and 3) to present the development of policy-making mechanisms of Thai political parties. It was a qualitative research, of which data were collected from 25 key informants and an eleven-person focus group discussion. The data were analyzed through the descriptive content analysis.  

               The research findings were as follows: 1) The general conditions and obstructed problems, related to the policy-making mechanism of Thai political parties, were caused by more complex factors, diversified and distributed. They were specially based on external factors such as social movements and politics rather than internal factors like leaders and core persons within the parties. 2) The policy-making mechanism was based upon sincerity of Thai political parties in solving problems seriously. 3) The development of policy-making mechanism of Thai political parties was engaged in the political parties’ policy making, based upon the Buddhist principle of Iddhipāda. The knowledge base from the research demonstrated that the essence of development of Thai political parties’ policy-making mechanism began with the policy formation from their political ideologies leading to the process of political policy formation within the framework stipulated in the constitution. Later, a policy decision making, concepts and guidelines for working with party policies were consistent, beneficial for the nation and the people, and based upon the democratic system with the King as Head of State.