Opening ceremony and orientation session of Model Parliament activity “SMART Youth Parliament 2026”

On 14 July, the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, through the Democracy and the House Activities Dissemination Division of the Public Relations Bureau, with the support of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Thailand Office, officially launched the opening ceremony and orientation session of the SMART Youth Parliament 2026 Model Parliament programme at the Parliament Building. The programme aims to strengthen young people's understanding of democracy by providing them with hands-on learning experiences through parliamentary simulations.

The event was honoured by the presence of Mr. Sophon Saram, Speaker of the House of Representatives, who delivered the opening remarks. Senior officials from the Secretariat of the House of Representatives also welcomed participants and introduced the programme to students from four selected schools in Bangkok, who will take part in the upcoming Model Parliament competition.

During the orientation, the Director of the Bureau of Parliamentary Proceedings delivered a lecture on the roles and powers of Parliament as the legislative branch, the structure and functions of parliamentary committees, and the procedures for submitting parliamentary motions, the main theme of this year's Model Parliament competition. The session equipped participants from all four schools with the knowledge needed to prepare for the competition on 19 August.

Participants also received educational materials, including sample parliamentary motions and examples of parliamentary debate and speaking procedures, to support their preparation. Through this initiative, the programme seeks to provide young people with hands-on learning experiences to make parliamentary processes more accessible and engaging, fostering active citizenship while promoting greater public understanding of Thailand's democratic institutions.