Abstract:
Freedom is fundamental to human existence, and political literature serves as a reflective medium for the development of political freedom within Thai society across different historical periods. This research aims to examine the comparative landscape of political freedom in Thailand through political literature before and after the constitutional changes, specifically during the periods of 19071932 and 1932
1957. The objectives are threefold: 1) to investigate Thai political freedom through political literature prior to the constitutional change; 2) to analyze Thai political freedom through political literature following the constitutional change; and 3) to compare the manifestations of political freedom in Thai political literature across these two eras. This study employs a qualitative research methodology, utilizing document
analysis and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The key informants include 18 individuals: five renowned authors of political literature, six scholars and experts in political literature, four scholars and experts in political science, two historians, and one politician. Data validation was conducted through a triangulation approach, and content analysis was employed for data interpretation. The findings reveal that political literature reflects both the expansion and restriction of political freedom in Thailand. During the period prior to the constitutional
change, restrictions on freedom were evident through imprisonment, censorship of publications, defamation, and physical punishment. Conversely, after the constitutional change, measures such as life imprisonment, legislation limiting freedom, and state-supported literature promoting government policies were implemented. A comparative analysis indicates that, despite the constraints imposed by societal values and reverence for the monarchy before the change, political literature still served as a platform for political expression and advocacy for freedom, provided that such expressions did not threaten individuals or social stability. However, in the post-change democratic era, the government enforced strict controls over political freedom to maintain stability and utilized political literature as a tool for image
construction. This resulted in restrictions on free expression within literary works. Overall, the restriction of political freedom through political literature was evident in both the absolute monarchy and democratic regimes; nonetheless, during the monarchy, there was comparatively more space for freedom of expression than in the subsequent democratic period.