As Thailand gears up for its first election in eight years, young foreigners too, are paying attention.
Although welfare policies are one of the most impactful and discussed topics, young farang are also hoping for changes in environmental and economic policy.
Samantha Vell, a 25-year-old English teacher who has lived in Bangkok for three years, hopes the government will step up its efforts to address the pollution that has plagued Bangkok and other parts of the country.
"As we have seen these past few months, it's a huge issue and they're trying to make changes, but it seems like they're grasping at straws, doing things like pouring molasses from the sky," she said, referring to drones that sprayed a mixture containing water and molasses in an effort to combat the smog in February.
"I would like to see some serious change in policies and not just band-aids put on the problem."
Michael Picard, a 25-year-old researcher in Bangkok, echoed that sentiment.
"It [Thailand] is developing a pretty sophisticated economy and an eclectic skyline that is downtown Bangkok. I would love to see some regulation towards the environment and a desire to rein in pollution," he said.
In addition to efforts to address the high levels of pollution, young foreigners are also looking for social change after the election.
"There's a huge divide between the lower class and the upper class," said Ms Vell. "I would like to see more ways to empower the middle class and bring more job opportunities and more equality [to the country]."
"I would love to see Thailand become a middle-income country," said Mr Picard. "It's no longer just the cheap tourist destination of Southeast Asia."
Both would like to see an increase in socialist policies and wealth distribution in the country, a topic that has dominated Thai political rhetoric.
"I think some are starting to feel the political climate is not conducive to businesses," said 27-year-old Miles Vining, an American writer who grew up in Thailand.
"For some people in the deeper parts of the country, it's being felt at higher levels."
"I feel like it's this set of people with money," said 27-year-old Rummel Virgo, a British tech industry recruiter who has lived in Bangkok for two years. "I think there's a lot of money in Thailand and a lot of wealth, but it's one of the most unequal countries in the world."
Many feel there isn't much of a buzz ahead of the election.
"I feel like there's a subdued atmosphere about this election, at least from what I can observe," said Mr Picard.
"Maybe in Thai media it's a lot more heated."
