Situation in Thailand: Raising Awareness of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) among Thai Youth
Report Written by Rungrot Tatiyawongwiwat (Bond), Youth Coordinator at RTT SSEA
Thailand's Role in the TPNW
Thailand is one of the first 50 States to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). It also served as the Vice President for the First Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW. This demonstrates Thailand's important role as a Southeast Asian State that prioritizes the TPNW and supports other nuclear disarmament mechanisms.
I am proud to see my State support the Vienna Action Plan and be appointed as a Co-Facilitator on the Complementarity of the TPNW to other multilateral disarmament treaties. This inspired me to join other young people in Southeast Asia in raising awareness of the TPNW's importance among Thai youth.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
The TPNW is an international treaty that prohibits States from developing, testing, producing, stockpiling, transferring, and using nuclear weapons, as well as threatening to use them. It also contains robust provisions to help the victims of nuclear weapons and remediate contaminated environments. It aims to protect humanity from the existential threat of nuclear weapons. The treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017 and entered into force in January 2021.
Challenges:
Limited Youth Participation in Thailand
Currently, there is limited participation of Thai youth in promoting the TPNW. The Thai education system needs to prioritize this issue and Thai teachers need to educate Thai youth about nuclear disarmament initiatives, especially TPNW. As a Thai student, who has spent my entire life in the Thai education system, I have seen the gaps in education on peace promotion and nuclear disarmament. These topics are no less important than environmental issues and gender equality.
2. Limited Disarmament Education
Educational Efforts to promote peace and international cooperation, as well as the Thai government's important role, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communication channels, have, at some point, raised awareness among students about our State’s presence in making this world a better place through ratification of TPNW. However, these efforts are insufficient if we only promote this at the decision-maker level. We need to inspire university students and young adults to take action and engage with Thai leaders.
Need
A need for more awareness of global developments in nuclear disarmament in Thailand to strengthen a point of view among Thai youth that recognizes the importance of the TPNW. This lack of prioritization and perception of the issue as distant directly affects the level of participation of academics and youth groups. This makes it difficult to expand awareness-raising efforts now and in the future.
Recommendations
As a Thai youth, I urge the Thai government to prioritize designing an education system that goes beyond rote learning and academic excellence. We should also prioritize raising awareness of global issues that affect humanity, such as nuclear disarmament, to the same extent that Thai representatives support other States to comply with the TPNW.
In addition to developing a holistic education system, Thailand should also work in line with the TPNW's objectives through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures. This will lead to public awareness in the future.