As Thailand’s 2026 general election approaches, the country is confronting a familiar, unresolved problem—vote buying. Deep-rooted in Thai politics, the practice has resurfaced aggressively, highlighting a systemic failure of the nation’s democratic safeguards. While the practice has long been illegal, weak enforcement and lack of proactive oversight have allowed vote-buying to flourish over and over again. Here is how vote-buying operates in Thailand and why enforcement measures continue to fall short.

Following Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s dissolution of the House of Representatives, several prominent public figures and academics have shared their perspectives on the challenges ahead as Thailand’s political parties prepare for the election.

At 14, Thanalop Phalanchai became one of the youngest people ever charged with royal defamation. At 15, she was arrested and held in pre-trial detention, making her the youngest person to ever be detained on a royal defamation charge. Her arrest and detention raised questions about the Thai juvenile justice system and whether it is serving the best interests of the country’s children.