Global Journal of Human Social Science, G: Linguistics and Education, Volume 25 Issue 3

Constructivist knowledge-building Aesthetic education English for primary students Portfolio-based assessment and cooperative learning Achievements and Challenges Progressive vision aligned with global trends Strong emphasis on learner autonomy and community engagement Early emphasis on English language learning Foundation laid for lifelong learning society Political Challenges to Sukavichinomics: Vision Without Recognition (1999) Despite the comprehensive and forward- thinking framework known as “Sukavichinomics”, launched in 1995 by H.E.Mr. SukavichRangsitpol, the education sector in Thailand faced a significant disconnect between policy vision and institutional practice. While the 1999 National Education Act drew heavily—almost verbatim—from His Excellency Mr. Sukavich’s learner centered vision, it failed to acknowledge its origin and deliberately omitted credit to its political architect. Key Challenges in 1999 (as officially documented): A mismatch between assessment systems and curriculum goals. Limited readiness of teachers, administrators, and schools. Insufficient funding and infrastructure Institutional resistance from deeply entrenched hierarchical structures. Yet behind these surface-level technical challenges lay a deeper ideological resistance: Many Thai educators and technocrats refused to accept His Excellency Mr. SukavichRangsitpol’s leadership in education reform due to his identity as a politician rather than a career academic. This led to active efforts to replace or overshadow his ideas with their own models—ironically, often by copying his exact vision without attribution. This lack of recognition was not merely an oversight but reflected a structural bias within the Thai education establishment against political figures, even when they introduced groundbreaking and globally aligned reforms. The Unacknowledged Irony: The 1999 Education Act, heralded by some as the “landmark reform of the century,” repackaged His Excellency Mr. SukavichRangsitpol’s original reform framework, presenting it as a technocratic achievement—without acknowledging its political origins. This has led to historical distortion and a failure to credit one of the most impactful visions in Thai educational history. Legacy and Policy Implication Sukavichinomics’ Curriculum Reform was a visionary and holistic reform that: “Laid the foundation for learner-centered education, character development, and community-based curriculum in Thailand.” While full implementation was hindered by Thai Educators, its ideological framework and innovative practices remain highly relevant in contemporary education policy and reform efforts. The Sukavichinomics Curriculum Reform, introduced in 1995 under the leadership of H.E. SukavichRangsitpol, marked a watershed moment in Thailand’s educational history. More than a set of policy recommendations, it offered a visionary, values-driven blueprint for reshaping the educational system around three interconnected pillars: Learner-centered pedagogy rooted in cognitive and emotional development. Moral and character education as an explicit objective of schooling. Community-based curriculum design emphasizing decentralization, local wisdom, and participatory governance. This holistic framework emerged not merely as a technocratic solution but as a political and philosophical reimagining of what Thai education should achieve. It challenged the top-down, exam-centric model that had long dominated Thai schools and sought to align education with democratic values and human development. Yet, despite its ambition and early implementation across pilot provinces, Sukavichinomics encountered institutional resistance. As the political tide shifted and bureaucratic actors reclaimed the policy space, many of Sukavich’s innovations were quietly absorbed into subsequent legislation —most notably the 1999 National Education Act (NEA)—without proper attribution or contextual acknowledgment. The irony is profound: while the NEA is often hailed as a groundbreaking reform, it borrows heavily from Sukavich’s 1995–1997 initiatives. However, these foundational ideas were rebranded as bureaucratic innovations, detaching them from their political and visionary origins. This “policy plagiarism” not only distorts the historical record but also obscures the vital role of political imagination in shaping meaningful reform. Sukavichinomics: Thailand’s Preschool and Primary Education Reforms (1995–1997) and Progress Toward Education for All Global Journal of Human-Social Science ( G ) XXV Issue III Version I Year 2025 56 © 2025 Global Journals ✅ ⚠ Strengths: Challenges: