ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between norms and laws through an analysis of the impact of activism, both on regulatory character and law reform, following Kader. It also explores the activist vision of reform, in particular how it emphasized collectivism or egalitarianism in Hoods’ schema. From a traditional conception, interpenetration within Thai regulatory character was imbued with the accepted social order and working for the public good within that order, where ‘big’ people worked for the public good, and ‘little’ people responded by living in the moment and surviving, even thriving. The vehicle to change regulatory character included initiatives aimed at responding in a practical manner to the needs of workers and the broader community. The rural community had become quite sophisticated in its protest strategy. The most prominent rural protest group, the Assembly of the Poor, had achieved a number of victories in its push for greater political recognition of its plight, suffering that resulted directly from government policies.
