Mr. President,
Allow me to join the previous speakers in congratulating you upon assumption of the chairmanship of the Community of Democracies. Thailand is confident that Mongolia’s experience and strong commitment to the promotion of democracy will strengthen the work of the Community and further enhance cooperation among its members.
Mr. President,
The year 2011 has seen democracy ideals in action in many parts of the world. The Arab Spring once again stresses the underlying principle of democracy, which is to uphold the aspirations and needs of the people. The events in the Middle East and Africa also remind all of us that, in fulfilling their mandate, governments must listen to the needs of the people in the pursuit of peace, development and prosperity of the nation.
In the case of Thailand, the general elections held on 3rd July shows once again the resilience of Thai democracy. The voter turnout was the highest in Thailand’s electoral history. With a seamless transition in the democratic process as the result of the solid mandate of the people, the new Government is now firmly in place. We are resolutely working to implement the people-centered policies which aim at bringing about sustainable growth, with quality and social justice based on the rule of law. With that mandate, I am pleased to represent Thailand among members of the UN Democracy Caucus this year.
Mr. President,
Turning to our agenda at hand today, the theme of “Education for Democracy” accurately reflects a fundamental element needed in developing and maintaining democracy worldwide. In Thailand, a number of people still tend to think that democracy is just about going to the ballot box. But as we all know, democracy is an evolution in itself. Various other factors are needed for democracy to be strengthened, nurtured and maintained. These include the good functioning of democratic institutions, the rule of law, respect for human rights and a strong civil society. The challenge is how to educate people to understand this whole democratic process. Mindful of this crucial task, Thailand places great importance on education for democracy as an important tool in empowering the people to build a strong foundation for genuine democratic development.
In light of this, Thailand is eager to learn from the experiences of countries in the Community of Democracies of what constitutes good education for democracy. And having learnt these good practices, it is more important to instill them into the educational system. This is so that people, especially children and youth, can have the right understanding and become attached, at an early age, to democratic values and institutions. With these basic building blocks, they may then develop their capacity and apply their tacit knowledge to participate in the country’s development.
In closing, Mr. President, I would like to reiterate Thailand’s willingness and readiness to cooperate with Mongolia and the Community in advancing the cause of democracy. We look forward to working closely with the Community to promote education for democracy in hope of sparking aspirations for democratic values in all of us.
Thank you.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th