Thai youth leaders push for inclusion, partnership and lasting change

Nearly 400 youth recently participated in a national dialogue which marked the 80th year of Thailand’s membership of the United Nations.

The anniversary provided an opportunity to look ahead, with young people taking centre stage in discussions on implementing the Pact for the Future, the UN's global blueprint for tackling today's challenges while protecting the interests of future generations.

UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand Michaela Friberg-Storey said turning the Pact’s ambitions into meaningful results would depend on “strong partnerships across society, driven by the energy, creativity and leadership of young people.”

The Pact, adopted by UN Member States in September 2024, rests on a simple but important distinction. Future generations, those not yet born, cannot speak for themselves. Young people can.

Six youth panellists told UN News what it takes to make young people's voices count in practice.

For Rattanachart Paengkum, strengthening youth participation is less about creating new institutions than making existing ones work better. As Assistant President of the Children and Youth Council of Thailand, he works to bring young people's perspectives into public decision-making.

“Built in silence, heard by the world. That is how I see youth participation in Thailand today. We already have a mechanism that could be one of the strongest in Southeast Asia. The task now is to strengthen it and make it genuinely participatory again.”

His advice to other young people is simple: Every cause starts somewhere. What matters is taking the first step. Once you act, you learn, improve and bring others with you. If you never begin, the outcome is already decided.

Earlier this year, Soonyata Panurat represented Thailand at the ECOSOC Youth Forum at UN Headquarters in New York. He said meaningful participation depends on trust and shared decision-making.

“Young people are living the challenges policymakers are trying to solve. Giving us a platform to speak is only the beginning. If nothing follows, nothing changes. Policies should be co-designed with young people, not presented to us after decisions have already been made.”

Growing up in Omkoi District, in Thailand’s Northern Chiang Mai Province, Chairat Dipho took local environmental action to the global stage, from school initiatives to representing ethnic minority youth at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. He said recognising young people as equal partners begins with giving them the resources to act.

“Resources are not only funding. They are knowledge, mentors, and opportunities that allow young people to take action. Young people are not only future leaders. We are stakeholders and equal partners. When we are seen that way, change can begin locally and reach the global stage.”

According to Marisa Yapangku, President of the Indigenous Youth Seed Network of Thailand, participation must reach beyond capitals and conference rooms if it is to reflect the realities of indigenous communities.

“As indigenous young women, we face barriers because of both our ethnicity and our gender. Even when we reach decision-making spaces, our ideas are often overlooked. Representation alone is not enough if it is not followed by action.

“The platform itself needs to be localised. Decision-makers cannot understand our solutions if they have never heard the realities our communities face. We do not come as mercy receivers. We come to move forward together.”

Growing up with visual impairment, Panwasa Srikuna has seen technology transform access to education. She said making young people's voices count also means ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to participate.

“When I was in secondary school, I depended on volunteers to read textbooks to me. Today, AI can summarise information and support my learning directly. Technology is transforming what is possible for young people with disabilities. The challenge is ensuring our institutions evolve just as quickly.”

Nattanicha Kattiyavara said that participation is not only about being heard, but about ensuring young people can continue contributing over the long term. A youth advisor to the UN Youth Office and founder of The Burnout Advocate Initiative, she said wellbeing should be recognised as part of sustainable civic engagement.

“Young advocates are often expected to be endlessly resilient. But feeling anxious, exhausted or burnt out is not a failure. It often reflects how deeply people care. If we want lasting social change, we must also build systems that support the wellbeing of those creating it.

“Future generations are not in the room to speak for themselves,” said Themba Kalua, Director for Pact for the Future Implementation in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General.

“Young people, however, are here now, and their voices, ideas and leadership must be part of the decisions shaping their lives and the future of our societies.”

Originally published by UN News