Future thinking for innovative deliberative policy analysis: Multiple cases from the practices of a think tank in Thailand

This paper aims to share how future thinking or foresight can provide innovative methods for deliberative policy analysis. With multiple cases from non-Western contexts, the paper discusses the potential of various methods from future studies in supporting the facilitation of meaningful deliberation. It highlights some insights from the practices of the School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University, a think tank in Thailand. Most practices reflect the beneficiary of deliberative policy analysis in building shared imaginations about better futures or different scenarios and backcasting co-creations. At the same time, the discussion about root causes and transformative futures with the critical foresight approach makes deliberative forums more welcome for non-experts, as everyone can imagine and dream for their preferred futures. The paper also analyses the challenges of employing future thinking for innovative deliberative policy analysis, especially with the socio-cultural conditions.