This paper explores the possibility of regulatory character as a means of understanding the importance of place. Regulatory character extends Selznick’s (1992) concept of organizational character to a regulatory context. Regulatory character involves an understanding of culture, economic and political elements arranged schematically according to the dimensions of authority and social ordering. The paper outlines the construction of the grid and then uses the grid to understand the significance of regulatory reform and regulatory effectiveness in Thailand following the Kader Toy Factory Fire.