CYBER DEMOCRACY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRATIC VALUES IN THAILAND

Abstract

           This research article aims to survey and make a comparative study of the meaning of cyber democracy from various academic works and actual activities in Thailand and the international one to search for a new meaning that is useful for the Thai case. The article also aims to study the role of internet technology and political activities in the Thai cyber space that leads to democratic development via the rise a new political institution.  The research was conducted between 2017-2018 which was the last moment of the coup regime before the 2019 election. The research deployed literature review

           The research founds that cyber democracy is a phenomenon in which democratic activities and movements appear on the internet world or the “cyber space”.  Despite the fact that Thailand had been in an authoritarian regime, people had struggled to develop and utilize internet technology to make the cyber world having more democratic value.  Internet technology helps promote expression of people opinion and gives people more chance to participate in deciding and proposing public policy.

           This research suggests four elements to develop cyber democracy into a new political institution that helps improve the quality of democracy; i.e. 1) increasing people participation in the political regime, 2) enhancing civil rights and political freedom of the citizen; 3) building people-based cyber security; and 4) promoting a learning society that help develop democratic values.