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Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand

Rights and responsibilities - duties of states, people, and institutions

- Under Article 56 of the Thai Constitution, individuals are guaranteed the right to cooperate with state and local communities to conserve and benefit from natural resources and bio-diversities; and to protect, promote and maintain the quality of the environment so that the communities may continue to live in an environment which is not hazardous or threatening as provided by the law.

1. The Thai Constitution provides an informal forum for individuals to cooperate with state and among themselves, e.g., via local communities in order to conserve natural resources and bio-diversities. The provision of Article 56 seems to put more emphasis on community than individuals with respect to the conservation of the quality of the environment. This may be because it views that an individual normally does not act alone and each and every citizen has a community of her own, which she and her neighbors hold together a collective right and action. Group action many times proves to be more effective than individual performance. Therefore, the Thai Constitution seeks to also support participation of communities with respect to conservation and sustainable use of the environment.