Sukavichinomics: Reforming Thailand’s Constitution Peacefully,

“I strongly believe that, as a citizen of the world, any person has the right to learn and should be entitled to have access to education according to their competency and needs. […] All sorts of boundaries—gender, age, socio-economic status, physical or mental disabilities—have to be eliminated.”— His Excellency Mr. Sukavich Rangsitpol, Inaugural Address (1996)In the shadow of Thailand’s political upheavals between 1991 and 1997—including the 1991 military coup, the 1992 “Black May” protests, and the regional financial crisis—one policy domain progressed steadily and nonviolently: education reform. Under the leadership of Sukavich Rangsitpol, who served as Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs, Thailand undertook its most ambitious education reform to date, premised on equity, inclusion, and peace.Between 1995 and 1997, Thailand’s Education Revolution laid the foundation for a peaceful constitutional transformation. Under the leadership of His Excellency Mr. Sukavich Rangsitpol, the reform improved national infrastructure at an unprecedented scale: 29,845 schools were renovated, 38,112 classrooms constructed, 12,227 multipurpose buildings added, and 11,257 hygienic toilets installed. Access to free education for children aged 3 to 17 expanded nationwide, increasing enrollment from 12.33 million to 16.68 million. Crucially, the reform supported 4.35 million children from low-income families through free school meals, transportation, and educational materials.These systemic efforts culminated in the 1997 Thai Constitution, which for the first time enshrined the right to 15 years of free and equitable education (Sections 43 and 80). This was a landmark moment in Thai history, where education was explicitly framed as a constitutional right, achieved not through conflict, but through democratic process and civic participation—particularly by grassroots parental advocacy.It is important to clarify that this constitutional progress was independent of the violent political events of Black May 1992. Distinguishing these moments preserves historical truth and reinforces the importance of peaceful reform in securing lasting democratic rights.