Three political parties unveil policies to empower the new generation for future careers, aiming to foster startups nationwide and provide free university education in science and agricultural technology fields. They hope to cultivate startups across the country and offer free bachelor's degree programs in science and agricultural technology.
Today, 23 Dec 2025 GMT+7, "Thairath Debate" hosted the first debate of the 2026 election campaign to present ideas and policies to help voters make informed decisions before the official election day on 8 Feb 2026 GMT+7. The Thairath Online special news team compiled interviews regarding policies promoting careers for the new generation from three political parties.
Yotchanan Wongsawat, the Pheu Thai Party's prime ministerial candidate, stated that developing the new generation focuses on high school and university levels. He emphasized two main areas: 1. Startups that need system development to support young people in pursuing their ideas. The first step is designing prototypes. When someone imagines something, they create a PowerPoint slide. If the government can connect young people with investors, called Angel Funds, to invest in these slide projects and turn them into tangible products, it could lead to larger projects or finding teammates. Creating such a system will generate great opportunities.
Universities should serve as incubators, hosting activities that allow like-minded peers to meet. Private companies should be invited to organize events on campuses, gaining part-time young workers. Bringing these groups together nationwide, the government should connect capable young people with domestic and international entrepreneurs.
Ultimately, for young people to stand firm, they must have their own R&D. If they cannot do it alone, there should be systems linking them to universities for support. This will build Thailand’s capacity to compete globally.
The model for developing young people can be implemented across all regions of Thailand, as each university has different expertise. Introducing innovations to universities in every region will create new products, attracting investors and tourists worldwide.
“Thai youth can be born anywhere but must have equal access to opportunities. Developing young people's potential in every region means they don’t have to leave home. We strive to connect startups with large companies or investors and keep them close to local knowledge hubs accessible to investors. Therefore, development must support people in all regions to encourage decentralization.”
It is crucial that national leaders have clear goals for developing young people, enabling them to understand their career paths based on their studies. The problem has been that young graduates cannot find jobs in their fields, despite possessing relevant knowledge. Thus, the country must be developed to support those starting new businesses.
Teerachai Phuwananoranubon, the Palang Pracharath Party’s prime ministerial candidate, said young people are a vital force in national development. They aim to open space for the youth, though it is challenging. There is now a proposal to make some bachelor’s degree programs free, especially in STEM subjects: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
Another issue is supporting SMEs, which number around 340,000 and employ about 13 million people. Among young people interested in business, many start SMEs, so regulations must encourage commercial banks to offer more loans to young entrepreneurs.
They also propose establishing a startup fund to support new businesses, focusing on technology, especially AI and advanced innovation. This fund would be financed by the government, stock exchange, or banking associations and would co-invest in young people's businesses.
Past efforts to develop young people’s potential have failed because government leaders mostly lacked understanding, being from older generations. Now, with more young people involved in politics, the government must provide space for youth to work on what they want while also supporting the elderly, many of whom struggle with technology. Community spaces should be developed where knowledgeable young people can transfer skills to older residents.
General Rungsi Kitiyanatthap, from the Economic Party, believes developing the new generation must start with solving economic problems and breaking the cycle of three debts: 1. Government debt, 2. Public debt, and 3. Business sector debt, which contribute to youth unemployment after graduation.
If Thailand remains trapped in debt, technology and education development will decline. Therefore, the Economic Party prioritizes debt resolution with large-scale mega projects to restore Thailand’s competitiveness, including becoming a rail transport hub. This will create many jobs, benefiting soon-to-be graduates.
Developing young people requires education reform, especially as Thailand has potential in agriculture, notably in new theory agricultural processing. However, agricultural technology must be integrated to extend product shelf life. For example, China preserves food for up to 10 years while maintaining nutritional value.
The current problem for young people is lacking proprietary technology, relying instead on imitation, even though each country has its own strengths. Thailand must return to developing its own agricultural technology to support future growth.