A Study of Social Networks of the Chiang Mai Anti-Thaksin Shinawatra Movement

Abstract

The purpose of this academic article is to present a study of the Chiang Mai anti-Thaksin Shinawatra movement, using the concept of social network analysis as the main concept to understand the formation and dynamics of social movements in Chiang Mai between 2005 and 2014. The objective is to study the network and the framing process of the Chiang Mai anti-Thaksin movement. A methodological approach based on qualitative research was used for this research. Data were gathered by conducting in-depth interviews with two groups: 12 anti-Thaksin movement leaders and their networks, and 12 anti-Thaksin movement participants. The analysis found that a network previously existing in Chiang Mai is the foundation of the anti-Thaksin movement, which is a political movement and civil society that has fought for rights and democracy since the October Revolution on October 14, 1973. The most significant network groups that have played a pivotal role in the anti-Thaksin movement are the NGOs, the former October Students Network, and the middle-class network in Chiang Mai. Consequently, the Chiang Mai anti-Thaksin movement has become a significant ally of the powerful anti-Thaksin movement and has exerted a lasting impact on Thai politics to date. The research findings indicate that the Chiang Mai anti-Thaksin movement is rooted in the legacy of the people's movement that previously supported the struggle for democracy, freedom, equality, and social justice. However, over time, the movement has transformed into one that embraces anti-democratic, nationalist, and conservative ideologies. This evolution sets the anti-Thaksin movement in Chiang Mai apart from the anti-Thaksin movements observed in other regions, making it distinct and unique in its ideological orientation.