The workers hold the strike merely to increase their bargaining power. They don't do any physical harm to their employers, nor do they set the factory on fire. It is difficult, Chaiwat said, to create a definitive scope for nonviolence. Some people may say a rally on the street is violent because it blocks the traffic flow and causes inconvenience for the public. It depends on how each individual perceives violence.
People sometimes use nonviolent methods without being aware that they are doing so.
In these cases, some elements of violence might unconsciously be included in their actions. Such words are unlikely to be said if people are aware that they are using a nonviolent strategy. According to Santisuk, the concept of nonviolence in Thailand is closely tied with Buddhist principles which have an emphasis on mercy. Activist monk Phra Phaisan Visalo, who is a prominent upholder of nonviolence and a founder of the Kalayanamitr group, conceded that the nonviolence movement in Thailand has not made much progress over the past two decades. Although there have been numerous training sessions on nonviolence for the staff of NGOs, university students and villagers, the scale of success is still limited.