การมีส่วนร่วมทางการเมืองของนักเรียนมัธยมศึกษา : กรณีศึกษากลุ่มนักเรียนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย / ดวงแก้ว จันทร์สระแก้ว = Political participation of secondary school students : a case study of Students for Democracy of Thailand / Duangkaeo Chansrakaeo
Objectives: 1) To study roles and behavior of a group of secondary school students which took an active part in anti-Thaksin movement in 2006-2007 by name of “Students for Democracy of Thailand”. 2) To seek and propose guidelines for promotion of political participation among secondary school students. The study finds that the ‘Students for Democracy of Thailand’ beginning of this moment originated by merely three young students of Triam Udom Suksa School. These core members mobilized over 150 students from various schools in and outside of Bangkok to strengthen their crusade. These participants were interested in politics and kept up with news on political phenomena for quite sometime before joining the group. These young observers were in agreement that the political crisis they were experiencing was caused, evidently, by management without morality and without ethical governance. With such inspiration, the student’s movement thus proclaimed their disapproval of Thaksin government by giving 14 reasons and by calling Thaksin’s responsibility by resignation. Later, core members of the group took more active participation by joining political rallies against the government, stood up in the front line, delivered public address in many gatherings organized by the “People’s Alliance for Democracy”. This was interesting political phenomenon in the history of Thai politics since there had never been such a movement which school students took such an active part. The student finds that an important element which inspired these young people to campaign on the street was their own families. These young activists learned about October 14, 1973 and October 6, 1976 from their parents. They were told stories, read books, and saw pictures of Thailand’s greatest political confrontations from their parent’s collections. This learning creates political awareness on these youngsters and motivated them to keep themselves well informed on political issues via mass medias. As a means for the promotion of political awareness and political participation among young Thai people, it is recommended that the public sector and educational institutions play a host role in: 1) Setting up a committee on political history review so as to synthesize and make a textbook on “civic duties” and independent subject in social studies. 2) Organize “miniature election” whenever there is a real election. Inviting representatives of candidates to gimmick practices in an election. Such activities will enhance political awareness and participation among young students.
