this study attempts to investigate the relationship between politics and a public organization, in this case the national institute of development administration (nida), in Thailand. specifically, the emphasis is on the extent to which the politico-administrative environment has an impact on the organization,and how this leads to organizational change when there are changes in the political system. based upon the political and historical perspective, this study focuses on two historical phases in Thailand; the periods of military dictatorship, and political democracy.