In 1932, Thailand’s Constitution was created and signed into effect during a time of great change in the country. In this article, you’ll learn about what role King Prajadhipok (King Rama VII) played in its creation, an interesting law you’ll find within the Constitution, and how Thai people celebrate Thai Constitution Day.

At ThaiPod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative. What better way than by delving into the roots of modern-day Thailand?

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

1. What is Constitution Day?

In Thailand, Constitution Day is the day that commemorates the promulgation of the first permanent Constitution of Thailand in 1932. The Constitution was signed by King Rama VII, who acknowledged the change from absolute monarchy to a democratic form of government with the King as Head of State under the Constitution.

1- History of Thailand’s Constitution

Thailand’s Constitution originated from a political transition in 1932. The transition was a result of the First World War, which caused worldwide economic depression and also affected Thailand.

As a result, the government had to depose some government officials and legislate new laws to collect taxes, including property tax and land tax, from citizens. As this caused discontent among military officers and the general public, King Rama VII decided to promulgate a Constitution to be used as a basis for the laws in Thailand.

Consequently, on Constitution Day each year, people will make merit for King Rama VII.

2- An Interesting Law

Today, we’re going to introduce an interesting Thai law in accordance with the current Constitution.

One such law is that Thai citizens who are eighteen years or older are responsible for exercising their right to vote for their representatives in the political system.

Not voting without proper reasons may deprive the person of certain rights, depending on the law on each case. If the person hasn’t exercised their right to vote many times over, he or she may lose their right to apply as a candidate for membership in the House of Representatives election or the Senator election.

In other words, the person may lose the right to become Thailand’s Prime Minister, as a Prime Minister has to have been a previous member of the House of Representatives.

2. When is Thailand’s Constitution Day?

Each year, people celebrate this public holiday in Thailand on December 10.

3. Constitution Day in Thailand: Traditions & Events

Before Constitution Day, educational institutions often hold an exhibition about the origin of the day as well as the content of the current Constitution.

Representatives from government agencies and private companies, school students, university students, and the general public will gather in front of the statue of King Rama VII and place a wreath to pay homage to the King, who changed the political system of the country. He brought about democracy in Thailand, giving more rights to citizens to take part in politics.

As Constitution Day is a public holiday, the government holds a “Thai Kids Love the Parliament” activity in which youth representatives have a chance to interview and exchange knowledge about the Constitution directly with law experts. This allows Thai youth and the general public to gain a correct understanding of the Thai Constitution. The Prime Minister is the leader of the opening ceremony.

4. How Many Thai Constitutions?

To date, how many Constitutions of Thailand have there been?

The answer: There have been eighteen Constitutions of Thailand!

The current Constitution is the 2007 Constitution of Thailand. This is the first Constitution that, after the draft was completed and approved by the National Legislative Assembly, was shown to the general public and approved through a referendum. As the majority of people agreed with the Constitution, it was declared to be in effect and has been in use until now.

5. Must-Know Vocabulary for Constitution Day in Thailand

Here’s some Thai vocabulary for you to memorize before Constitution Day!

• สนับสนุน (sà-nap-sà-nǔn) — “support”
• ประชาชน (bprà-chaa-chon) — “people”
• เปลี่ยนแปลง (bplìian-bplaaeng) — “change”
• รัฐศาสตร์ (rát-thà-sàat) — “politics”
• วันรัฐธรรมนูญ (wan-rát-thà-tham-má-nuun) — “Constitution Day”
• การปกครอง (gaan-bpòk-khraawng) — “administration”
• อำนาจ (am-nâat) — “authority”
• กฎหมาย (gòt-măai) — “law”
• รัฐบาล (rát-thà-baan) — “government”
• ประชาธิปไตย (bprà-chaa-thíp-bpà-dtai) — “democracy”
• ภาษี (paa-sǐi) — “tax”

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, and to read them alongside relevant images, be sure to visit our Thai Constitution Day vocabulary list!

Final Thoughts

What are your thoughts on Thai Constitution Day? Does your country have a Constitution as well, and if so, do you have a day of commemoration for it? Let us know in the comments!

Learning about a country’s culture and history is an exciting and enriching aspect of trying to master its language. If you’re interested in learning more about Thailand and her people, you may find the following pages on ThaiPod101.com useful:

• Thai Culture
• Tourist Attractions in Thailand
• What’s Your Favorite Thai Food?
• Thailand Language Day: Celebrating the Thai Language
• Communicate Like a Native Using Thai Hand Gestures and More

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Happy Thai learning! 🙂