Women’s Political Participation: A Case Study of Local Governance in Chiang Mai

Women’s political participation is essential for fostering inclusive policies, fortifying democratic governance, and advancing gender equality. Despite global progress, women's representation across all administrative levels in Thailand remains disproportionately low, particularly within Chiang Mai's local governance. This study examines the main barriers to women’s political engagement in Chiang Mai's local administration and offers strategic recommendations to increase their participation. Using a qualitative research design, the study gathered data through semi-structured interviews to elicit comprehensive, in-depth insights. The analysis indicates that evolving social expectations, supportive legal frameworks, and initiatives like the Thai Women’s Empowerment Fund positively facilitate women’s involvement. Conversely, deeply entrenched Thai and Lanna patriarchal norms, coupled with pervasive systemic barriers, persistently obstruct women’s advancement in local governance. To dismantle these constraints, the study advocates a paradigm shift away from traditional gender norms and the implementation of rigorous gender quota policies to increase women’s political representation across all governmental tiers substantially.