The 2014 Coup’s Influence in Movements of Dao Din Group

Abstract

This article aims to explain how the 2014 coup influenced the movements of the Dao Din Group and how the forms and methods of their activities changed. The effect of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) ruling Thailand has played an important role in modifying the strategies and tactics of the Dao Din Group. As part of this research, in-depth interviews with 15 people from the Dao Din Group and its network were conducted. The study found that after the coup, the establishment and implementation of law and order by the military government obstructed the Dao Din Group’s fieldwork with local people and prevented it extending its membership. The Dao Din Group, therefore, shifted the form of its movements from confrontational action to instead taking symbolic action against the dictatorial government. The closed structure in terms of political opportunities has resulted in the Group’s activities to be designed in a way so as the members become more wary of its stability. However, aside from above-mentioned factor, there are other factors to consider, such as the Group’s leadership, decision-making structure, learning processes and capacity of the members, and its network and network building. These factors have also affected the forms and methods of the Group’s movements.