Political interest in Thailand: an empirical analysis of structural and personality trait theories

Despite repeated attempts to democratize, Thailand has yet to consolidate a stable democratic system. In the twenty-first century alone, the military has overthrown elected governments twice, encountering limited public resistance. This raises important questions about the depth of political interest among Thai citizens, even after decades of economic development. Several theoretical frameworks seek to explain political interest: modernization theory argues that economic growth fosters greater political interest, while alternative perspectives emphasize the role of the working class or individual personality traits. This study examines these proposed determinants of political interest in Thailand using cross-sectional data from Wave 6 of the World Values Survey. Employing ordered logistic regression, this study tests competing hypotheses drawn from these theories. The results provide partial support for both modernization and personality-based explanations, though no single framework fully accounts for variations in political interest. These findings underscore the complex and multifaceted nature of political interest in Thailand and contribute to broader debates about state – society relations in authoritarian and semi-authoritarian contexts.