Engage Thailand Backs Grassroots Referendum Awareness Efforts In 13 Provinces

In January 2026, Engage Thailand awarded 10 micro-grants worth $200 each to support grassroots campaigns raising awareness across Thailand about Thailand’s 2026 referendum and general election. These grants were made possible thanks to your continued contributions to Engage Thailand.

As part of our mission to strengthen Thai civil society, Engage Thailand is committed to supporting grassroots action, where we believe meaningful change begins. The grants helped local organizers lead community-based activities in 13 provinces: Maha Sarakham, Kalasin, Mukdahan, Sakon Nakhon, Roi Et, Sai Buri, Mae Hong Son, Buriram, Sing Buri, Nong Khai, Sukhothai, Songkhla, and Pattani. All together, these efforts reached several hundred community members in the days leading up to the referendum and general election on February 8, 2026.

“These grassroots efforts, on top of relentless advocacy through the years by various sectors, culminated into a welcomed referendum result: More than 21.6 million Thais—nearly 59% of voters—supported the adoption of a new charter.”

Activities supported by the grants included public forums on the constitution and correct voting procedures, mobile awareness caravans in local communities, classroom activities where young people learned about civic participation and created posters encouraging people to vote, and other forms of community outreach. These efforts focused on sharing accurate information and highlighting the importance of public participation in the referendum.

Grant recipients also printed and distributed educational materials from the Election Commission, as well as from civil society organizations such as iLaw and Amnesty International Thailand. Some of these materials are posted in community spaces and local shops. Such effort was crucial in helping expand access to information for people outside of Bangkok.

These grassroots efforts, on top of relentless advocacy through the years by various sectors, culminated into a welcomed referendum result: More than 21.6 million Thais—nearly 59% of voters—supported the adoption of a new charter, exceeding by more than 5 million the number of voters who approved the military junta’s 2017 Constitution a decade earlier. This marked a major victory for democratic reform in Thailand. The responsibility now lies with Parliament to carry out the public’s mandate for reform. Engage Thailand and our partners in Thailand will remain actively engaged, continuing to inform and advocate to help ensure that both the process and the final outcome reflect the will of the people.