The Progressive Movement Foundation has launched the second cohort of its women's political leadership course, accepting 50 participants. The aim is to increase the proportion of women in Thai political and policy arenas to match global levels. The application deadline is 9 May 2026.
On 11 April 2026, the Progressive Movement Foundation officially announced the launch of the “Women's Empowerment and Political Leadership Academy” (WEPLA) second cohort. The program focuses on building readiness and confidence for women and individuals who identify as women to become decision-makers at national and local policy levels to drive change—not solely targeting those aiming to become politicians.
Kulthida Rungreungkiat, Director of the Progressive Movement Foundation and one of the WEPLA instructors, said, "We want to see more women in Thailand's parliament. More importantly, we want policies genuinely shaped from women's perspectives to address long-neglected issues." Currently, women make up over half of Thailand's population but remain underrepresented in decision-making spaces. Women's representation in the Thai parliament is under 20%, below the global average of 27.5%. This results in political decisions, budget designs, and public policies lacking diversity and failing to fully address the needs of all groups. WEPLA was designed to break down these barriers.
The women's political leadership course is intensive, comprising 4 consecutive modules over 5 months, from June to October 2026. Participants will enhance essential knowledge and skills such as public policy analysis, effective communication and negotiation, and grassroots work. It also offers an opportunity to build a strong network with peers from the current and previous cohorts, who serve as mentors and ongoing supporters during and after the program.
Part of the success of WEPLA's first cohort is that alumni applied their skills and knowledge in the 2026 elections, gaining public trust and winning seats as Members of Parliament (MPs), including Thanaporn Wijan, party-list MP for the People’s Party; Chonlatat Koykul, Bangkok MP for the People’s Party; and Narumas Piambandit, Chonburi MP for the People’s Party.
For WEPLA cohort 2, 50 women and individuals who identify as women are being accepted with the following qualifications: (1) an interest in public issues, especially gender equality.
(2) a desire to work in politics or to advance public issues at local or national levels.
(3) at least 3 years of work experience.
(4) not a candidate in local or national elections in 2026.
(5) able to attend all 4 modules of the course.
Applications are open from now until 9 May 2026. Details and online registration are available at wepla.in.th.
