As Thailand approaches another general election, we find ourselves conflicted. I remember when politics was a divided issue, an ideological clash of the two colours and what each association stood for. You couldn’t bring up anything colour-related at the dinner table for fear it would cause awkward silences or, worse, send someone into a blind rant.

A decade on, I feel that Thais have become more of a united front but against politics and politicians in general. We go through a process of re-evaluating our stances every time an election rolls around, desperately hoping for structural reform and change for the better, but quietly resigning ourselves to the fact that everything may remain the same.

Across dinners and group gatherings, I can see some subtle eye rolls and resigned sighs. "Who are you voting for next weekend?" you ask, and the common answer among peers is: "I really don’t know, I feel like Thailand will never change."

This is a casualty of growing up during a politically volatile time, marked with divisive protests, ideological clashes among family members and a lack of accountability from our leaders. In Thailand, we quickly learn that certain systems and structures are in place, which is why Thais are generally incredibly resilient to political upheaval and can adapt easily to situations.

Still, national elections are important and the lead-up to the big day on Feb 8 is marked by political commentary, online debates, policy dissections and more. This is a time when media outlets really shine, generating high engagement, as leading candidates put their best foot forward in debates on issues such as economic stimulation and workforce upskilling. I think the new media’s role in facilitating these discussions is key to gaining voters’ interest and suddenly, group chats are coming to life again and lunch with co-workers is becoming just that bit more opinionated.

There’s a common pattern that occurs among Thais during election season. There’s always a bit of election fatigue mixed in with cautious hope and optimism. Voting in this country isn’t just about simply going out to vote on Sunday morning, but also about how hopeful we allow ourselves to feel and for how long.

You can tell a lot about a generation in how they discuss politics. Younger voters are adamant about change and wearing their preferred parties like brand badges, whilst the older generation is somewhat more resigned, change would be nice to have, but stability fares better in the long run. Granted, there are policies on pollution, the economy, combating corruption and so much more that will move the needle and impact our livelihoods; these are all matters we hope will finally get addressed, but a functioning government will have to hold its term long enough to carry through policies.

Drive through the streets in Bangkok and the campaign posters have become part of our daily commute. Each party and candidate are putting their best foot forward and selling us ideas. There are real, tangible aspects to political rhetoric, from our education system (which desperately needs revising), urban planning, rising cost of living and stagnant wages to finally tackling corruption so businesses can finally thrive on the world stage. These tangible aspects impact how we can go about our daily life and lays a strong foundation for what life will be like for the next generation.

I guess what I’m trying to convey, is that no matter how "far away" and frustrating it feels, we should all think about what we stand for, and show up on Feb 8 with our optimistic hat on, even if everything stays the same the next day and especially then.

There’s always a chance of that dreaded post-election hangover, where we wake up after the buzz of televised debates and the election day frenzy has gone, to face the reality of the same figures in government. Then we each take a collective sigh, go about our day and talk to our colleagues about what we hope will change someday. This is the power of showing up.

Niki Chatikavanij is the founder of BitesizeBKK, a digital media outlet. She can be reached at bitesizebangkok@gmail.com.