KASSID Annual Meeting 2025
Navigating Thailand’s Social Protection in Times of Economic Uncertainties
The year 2025 marks the fifth anniversary of the Konrad Adenauer Scholarship for Social and Innovative Development (KASSID), which has supported 30 scholars across four cohorts nationwide. In line with the objectives of the scholarship program, KAS Thailand will organise a full-day activity for both current KASSID scholars and alumni.
MY BETTER COUNTRY HACKATHON #14
Driving Open Government and Civic Engagement in National Policymaking Process
The 14th MY BETTER COUNTRY HACKATHON organised by the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC) with the support of KAS will gather public opinions on approaches to national development, aiming to encourage the participation of citizens and relevant sectors in expressing their views on national-level issues related to public sector reform that are of social interest. This activity will promote a participatory public administration system involving the government, private sector, civil society, and other stakeholders, turning participation into tangible outcomes. Ultimately, this will lead to improved governance in accordance with the principles of good governance and foster greater public trust in the government.
Enhancing Knowledge and Experience on Politics and the Democratic Governance System
Workshop to Design Augmented Reality (AR) Guiding Tool for Parliament Visit and Studying
Open Government and Policy Innovation for Local Administration and Citizens
4th "OpenGov for Citizen": Participatory Marine Waste Management in the Estuarine Area
The Roadmap for Thai Bureaucratic Development (2023–2027) aims to transform Thailand’s public sector into a “Digital & Innovative Government” and an “Open Government.” The focus is on establishing a modern, trustworthy, and efficient administrative system that truly responds to the needs of the people. The Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC), as the main agency responsible for promoting open government and public participation, has studied and developed the model of an “Open Government and Meaningful Participation Ecosystem.” It is designed to enhance participation from all sectors in driving integrated and multidimensional public sector development. It comprises eight key components which are 1) Disclosure of government information 2) Policies and laws that support government openness 3) Partnership and collaboration networks 4) Incentive mechanisms 5) Knowledge and resource support 6) Development of technology, innovation, and infrastructure 7) Monitoring and evaluation and 8) Building an organizational culture
Advancing the Public Sector and Empowering Local Communities with Generative AI
Path to Effective Digital Local Governance with Knowledge, Skills, and Ethics
Over the past decade, the world has entered an era of rapid technological transformation, particularly with the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which has had a broad impact on daily life, the economy, and public administration. One of the technologies that has drawn significant attention is Generative AI. This creates opportunities for government agencies to apply it in enhancing the quality of public services across various dimensions, including prompt responsiveness, accuracy, accessibility, and transparency. However, despite Generative AI’s high potential in enhancing the efficiency of public administration, the adoption of such technology in the public sector still faces several challenges. These include digital inequality, users’ understanding and ability to utilise the technology, data security and safety, as well as issues of ethics and social responsibility. Without proper knowledge, understanding, and skills, the use of AI could lead to errors, misinformation, or even undermine public trust in government agencies. Therefore, it is critically important that public sector personnel and local community leaders receive appropriate training and capacity building on this significant issue.
Youth Deliberation Hackathon: Shaping Their Role in Social Protection Systems
Public Participation in Improving Thailand's Social Protection Policies
Inclusive and accountable social protection systems are a cornerstone of equal development and social justice. Welfare programs such as the state welfare card, the universal elderly allowance, child support grants, and unemployment protection mechanisms reflect the government’s recognition of the importance of reducing poverty and inequality. Yet, despite this growing investment, questions remain regarding the inclusivity, legitimacy, and responsiveness of social protection systems. In particular, policymaking and implementation processes tend to be dominated by technocrats, senior officials, and select interest groups, leaving important constituencies—especially youth—largely absent.
Citizen Access to Environmental Justice
Chiang Rai Case Study
Access to environmental justice remains a major challenge in Thailand. Despite the growing impacts of environmental degradation on public health, livelihoods, and the sustainability of local ecosystems, many people still face obstacles in exercising their rights and seeking redress through legal processes. Complex legal procedures, limited access to information, and the need for greater clarity regarding legal mechanisms continue to create a gap between “environmental harm” and “justice.” As a result, affected communities continue to struggle with pollution, deforestation, and unsustainable natural resource management, often without meaningful participation or effective legal protection mechanisms.
Revisiting and Advancing Thailand's Foreign Policy towards the Indo-Pacific Strategy
A Regional Perspective with Closed-group Discussion
Foreign policy formulation has traditionally centred on the perspectives of policymakers operating at the national level. However, shifts in the global economic, political, and security order — particularly the intensifying strategic competition among great powers in Southeast Asia — have revealed multi-dimensional and multi-level impacts on the region. From the vantage point of the central government, foreign policy is developed based on an understanding of the goals and interests of these great powers. Consequently, there is a tendency to seek policy responses that uphold national interests and Thailand’s diplomatic stature. These policy approaches are often grounded in International Relations (IR) theories that prioritise state-centrism, where the state is treated as the principal unit of analysis. The theoretical inquiries within these frameworks largely revolve around how states should behave in the international system. However, when observed from a regional or local perspective, the consequences of great power rivalry manifest in more tangible and immediate ways in the daily lives of people in affected areas.
Open Government and Policy Innovation for Local Administration and Citizens
Preparation Workshop for 4th "OpenGov for Citizen": Participatory Marine Waste Management in the Estuarine Area
The Roadmap for Thai Bureaucratic Development (2023–2027) aims to transform Thailand’s public sector into a “Digital & Innovative Government” and an “Open Government.” The focus is on establishing a modern, trustworthy, and efficient administrative system that truly responds to the needs of the people. The Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC), as the main agency responsible for promoting open government and public participation, has studied and developed the model of an “Open Government and Meaningful Participation Ecosystem.” It is designed to enhance participation from all sectors in driving integrated and multidimensional public sector development. It comprises eight key components which are 1) Disclosure of government information 2) Policies and laws that support government openness 3) Partnership and collaboration networks 4) Incentive mechanisms 5) Knowledge and resource support 6) Development of technology, innovation, and infrastructure 7) Monitoring and evaluation and 8) Building an organizational culture
Promoting Social Market Economy in Thailand
From Principle to Practice
Closely tied to Germany’s post-war economic miracle, the Social Market Economy combines economic freedom with social equity and environmental sustainability. At its core, the state serves as a framework provider and rule setter, enabling individual freedom and responsibility. It intervenes only when necessary to safeguard fair competition and ensure that no one is left behind. Far from being outdated, this model remains highly relevant today and offers valuable guidance for Thailand’s journey toward sustainable growth.
Promoting Citizenship and Participation in Local Governance in Thailand
Workshop on Local Administration and Decentralisation
To appropriately promote democracy, citizens must first understand their rights and duties as citizens. This understanding is crucial for stable and sustainable democratic learning. Local governance plays a key role in this learning process due to its proximity and accessibility, making it easier for citizens to engage and follow developments compared to the national governance, which is still complex and distant.
Climate Change Hackathon 2025
The Transboundary Policy Challenges Ahead
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today. The world is experiencing more frequent and severe droughts, floods, wildfires, rising sea levels, and a decline in biodiversity. In Thailand, these impacts are already being felt in the form of unpredictable weather patterns, water shortages, coastal erosion, and threats to agriculture and public health. According to the scientific consensus, as highlighted by the United Nations and leading climate organizations, global temperatures have risen by 1.1°C since the late 19th century. Without urgent action, the world is on track to exceed 2.7°C of warming by the end of this century, with devastating consequences for people and ecosystems.
Post-Election Political Analysis in the Federal Republic of Germany
Domestic Shifts and ASEAN-Thailand Implications
The Institute of Democratization Studies (IDS), in collaboration with the Faculty of Political Science at Chulalongkorn University (CU), has expressed a substantive interest in analysing the political developments in Germany following its recent national general elections that took place in February 2025. In partnership with KAS Thailand, IDS and CU will convene a seminar that brings together renowned German and Thai scholars to provide critical and comparative perspectives on Germany’s post-election landscape.
The 2025 Chiang Mai Mayoral Election: Candidates, Campaigning, and Changes in Decentralisation
Research Presentation Forum
One key aspect of decentralization in Thailand is political decentralization through local elections. Municipal elections, particularly at the level of city municipalities, are significant and highly competitive. Chiang Mai Municipality holds historical significance as it was the first city municipality in Thailand, established in 1935. Regarding budget, the projected revenue for Chiang Mai Municipality from fiscal years 2023 to 2025 is 1.6 billion, 1.8 billion, and 1.9 billion baht, respectively. Given the budgetary significance of Chiang Mai Municipality and the involvement of national political parties in local elections, the research seeks to examine candidate selection processes, election campaigns, political family influence in Chiang Mai, and voter decision-making factors in the 2025 Chiang Mai mayoral election. This study aims to contribute to the broader understanding of political decentralization in Thailand.
Governance Innovation for Sustainable City Transformation
Innovation and Sustainability in Smart City Development
Explore policies, best practices, and cutting-edge innovations shaping the future of sustainable cities with top leaders and experts including Members of Parliament, country representatives, and local governance specialists.
