Liberty and rights are not simply about the right to vote, former prime minister Anand Panyarachun said Wednesday, addressing the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand.
The former premier and key figure in the drafting process of the 1997 charter -- dubbed the "people's charter" -- warned against majoritarianism in Thai politics.
He called for the demands and views of everyone to be heard and respected -- not only those of victors in elections.
Majoritarian rule does not give a mandate to the winning party to do as it pleases, he said, in disapproval of a winner-takes-all system.
As Thailand approaches elections, it will be imperative for winners to consider themselves representatives of the entire country, and not just of the people who voted them in, he argued.
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Mr Anand advised that Thais look back at their past behaviour to better understand how it has contributed to the country's present situation.
"What is clear in hindsight is that globalisation, consumerism, extravagance, dishonesty and immoderation have led to management failures in both government and business," he said.
Thailand is currently at an important crossroads and the former premier, who has remained largely silent on Thai politics in the last decade, said several elements were needed for Thailand's development, which he believes will contribute to true and enduring change.
Thais have a tendency to focus on democracy in form rather than in substance, he added.
"We follow procedures and go through the motions of elections. Yet we pay little attention to developing the institutions that are critical to sustaining democracy."
Thailand never underwent a true democratic transition, he argued. Lack of genuine change in the Thai political system is at the root of its problems.
In trying to understand the causes of social divisions, Thais have not dug deep enough, he said, or looked at past government policies or fights between pro-government and anti-government forces.
"It is rather about poverty, social injustice, unequal rights and opportunities," he said, as well as the way power is divided between the state and the people -- or among groups of people.
Structural reform, rather than just constitutional reform, is the way forward, he added.
As Thailand is currently writing its 19th charter in 83 years, Mr Anand advised its citizens not to debate where they are or if they got there in the right or wrong way.
"I had hoped the 1997 constitution would make Thai democracy more open, transparent and accountable, and that electoral reforms would limit money politics and corruption."
For a constitution to make a real difference, society must first embrace the underlying values it espouses.
A constitution cannot bring about meaningful change on its own. Reforms to other key democratic pillars, particularly political institutions and public perceptions of democracy, are needed.
There is no blueprint for true democracy, he said. "The seeds of democracy must be sown from within each society for the shoots to be accepted and nurtured."