WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS:

Young Thais have grown up in climate of political instability, marked by two military coups over the past decade. The events have divided the country into two camps - supporters of the pro-military royalist parties and those who back the ousted leaders. 

Thailand has not held a general election in eight years and as a consequence there are over 7 million first time voters - a record number. 

This election is their first taste of democracy. 

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, said many are embracing Thanathorn with a level of political enthusiasm not seen in years.  

"I have not seen a kind of collective voice and pent-up disenchantment with the status quo that I'm seeing today," he told SBS News.

"A lot of young people - 25 and under and even 40 and under - they're more politically active, conscious [voters]. 

That is certainly the case at Bangkok's Thammasat University, where SBS News asked students how they are feeling about the vote. 

"Very excited!" said one female student. 

"Since we were young, we didn't see any change [but] we've seen lot of coup d'états. It's like a circle, it never ends. We want to see change - real democracy," a male student explained. 

And it is no surprise who they want to see lead that change.  

"Thanathorn's campaign respond to our needs," said a student for the university's school of political science. [...]

While the Future Forward Party are not the front-runners in this race, many at the rally hope they will win enough seats in tomorrow's vote to give Thai politics a new voice.  

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