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1. Principle and Rationale

There is a theoretical and empirically established
relationship between inequality and quality of democracy.
Increasing inequality allows political power groups to
protect their interests, causing negative effects on
democracy and provoking resistance from the people.
Absence of quality democracy can also result in other types
of inequality and unfairness, such as in laws, government
policies, and mechanisms of national administration, leading to
political conflict.

In the international context, development of stable democracy
is reflected in the rule of law, political participation, free and fair
elections, responsibility to the voice of voters, freedom of political
expression, equality without discrimination, and responsiveness to the
needs of the people. If people in a society are given rights,
opportunities, power, and dignity as democratic citizens, regardless of
political, economic, or social status, this is a good indicator of quality
democracy and should lead to reduction of inequality in society. At
present, inequality is an important issue of international urgency. The United
Nations has designated reducing inequality as one of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).

For almost 88 years, Thailand has made great efforts to achieve
sustainable democracy and to achieve a quality of society where people can live
together in harmony. These great democratic development efforts include
amendments to the Constitution and various laws to create equality and reduce the
social gaps among groups of people who have not yet received access to basic
rights and national resources. Such efforts have reflected the foundation of
democracy based mainly on good governance. The amendments of the Constitution
are designed to properly balance power by establishing and restructuring independent
organizations while promoting good political culture and strengthening civil politics
through real decentralization. Thailand has enshrined elimination of disparities and
promoting equity in law, under the Constitution’s Sections 257 and 258, and in the
fourth strategy of the 20-Year National Strategy.But the effort to reduce inequality to
create a democratic environment has still not been as successful as it should be,
leaving Thailand the great challenge of creating a stable democracy.

At the same time, the existence of inequality has had a negative effect on
democracy. This is expressed in the legal structure, the public policy participation
process, and daily lives of the people who are still trapped in inequality. The report
on world inequality revealed that Thailand ranks among the most unequal in the world
concerning land and property ownership, as well as income. This has significant