Understanding the formation of moral and political-ethical values among high school and university students in Chiang Mai, Thailand

What are the moral values and characteristics of political-ethical judgment among Thai youth in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, and how do they understand and reflect the moral framework and political identity within the context of Thai political-cultural norms? This study addresses these questions by applying moral foundation theory to the Thai political and cultural context to assess youths’ moral and political judgments. The study analyzed responses across eight domains (Rights and Freedom, Equality, Justice, Honesty and Loyalty, Harmony, Empathy, Authority and Respect, and Peace) using data collected through an online questionnaire hosted on the Thai Moral Foundations Research Project website. The findings, based on 137 responses from participants aged 15–20 years, reveal that honesty and loyalty, together with justice, are the most strongly endorsed moral values, and form a fairness-oriented core. Authority, respect, and equality are also highly valued, whereas rights and freedom receive the lowest level of endorsement. These results suggest that Thai youth in Chiang Mai construct a pluralistic moral framework in which fairness, honesty, and legitimate authority coexist with emotional sensitivity and a selective endorsement of individual rights and freedoms. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of Thai youths’ political identities, highlighting the dynamic interplay between traditional cultural values and ongoing democratic transformation in shaping their moral and political reasoning. Overall, these patterns may be interpreted as reflecting a hybrid moral framework.