Dream Constitution

Dream Con with Policymakers: Conversations after the referendum

Earlier this year, Thailand has voted in favor of an amendment to its current constitution. In the referendum taking place on 8 February, over 21 million Thais said “yes” to the question “Should Thailand have a new constitution?”  The current constitution, in force since 2017, has long been criticized for being influenced by the military government that came to power following the 2014 coup.  After taking office in April 2026, the ruling Bhumjaithai party pledged to resume the process of constitutional amendment and has submitted a proposal draft to the parliament. 

In parallel with the development in the parliament, the Freidrich Naumann Foundation Thailand, Wevis, the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ), and parliamentary partners organized the “Dream Con with Policymakers” workshop at Thaiand’s parliament house on 15 June 2026. More than 30 participants, including members of Parliament, senators, academics, and civil society representatives, took part in the event.

The workshop aimed to bring together policymakers and stakeholders to exchange ideas, identify priorities, and discuss the key issues that should shape the constitutional amendment process. As policymakers will play a central role in advancing the amendment process, the outcomes of the workshop will help shape the agenda for a broader series of public dialogues throughout the year.
“Today’s session is intended to enable Members of Parliament to jointly identify the key issues that will shape dialogue both inside and outside Parliament.” Thanisara Ruangdej, CEO of Wevis says. 

From Ideas to Dialogue

The workshop began with participants exploring a "Wall of Ideas," where they voted on the constitutional issues they considered most important. The topics ranged from fundamental rights, freedoms, and quality of life to broader institutional issues such as power structures, governance, and decentralization.

Next, participants were divided into three groups to brainstorm dialogue topics for constitutional amendment process over the next two to three years. During the discussions, participants explored  approaches for future public dialogues  and engagement that could generate meaningful public participation on constitutional change.  

A wide range of perspectives emerged. Some participants emphasized government transparency and public access to information, while others argued that constitutional conversations should begin with people's everyday concerns and prioritize issues that directly reflect public interests.
The workshop ended with each group presenting its recommendations. Although the groups proposed different approaches, they shared a common view: public dialogue on constitutional reform should begin with issues that people experience in their daily lives, while avoiding overly technical or legalistic language

“The key challenge is to establish a new set of rules that are legitimate, grounded in the will of the people, and built on genuine public participation.” Senator Norasate Prachyakorn shared. 

Throughout 2026, FNF Thailand, WeVis, and their partners will organize public dialogues across the country based on the priorities identified during the workshop. These conversations aim to ensure that people's aspirations and everyday concerns are meaningfully reflected in the process of drafting Thailand's new constitution.

About the project: The organizers have compiled opinions, dreams, and hopes of all participants in a database available to public. So that once the constitution drafting process starts, the voice of these often-unheard groups of people will be at least heard and seen and hopefully reflected in the shaping of the future of their country. 

Link to the dream con database (in Thai): DreamCon

* Takdanai Ketkaew is Programme and Communication Officer at FNF Thailand