People's Participation in Local Governance in Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

          The objectives of this research were as follows: 1) to study the level of people's participation in the local governance in Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province; 2) to study the level of people's participation in the local governance in Nam Phong District according the Four Iddhipāda Dhammas (Paths of Accomplishment); 3) to compare the participation of the people in the local governance in Nam Phong District, classified by the samples’ personal factors; 4) to study problems, obstacles and recommendations for people's participation in the local administration in Nam Phong District. This study was carried out by means of the mixed research methodology: quantitative and qualitative research. The sample group consisted of 384 people in Nam Phong District and 16 key informants. The tools used were questionnaires and interview forms. The statistics used were: Frequency, Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation. t-test (One-way ANOVA). The obtained data were interpreted by the descriptive analysis.
          The research results were as follows:
          1) The level of people's participation in the local governance in Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province was at a high level.
         2) The level of people's participation in the local governance in Nam Phong District according the Four Iddhipāda Dhammas was at a high level.
         3) The comparison of people's participation towards local administration in Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province revealed that people with differences in age, occupation, monthly income and the Four Iddhipāda Dhammas has participated in local governance differently with statistical significance level of 0.05. The people with different gender and educational levels participated in local governance indifferently.
          4) Problems, obstacles and recommendations for people's participation in the local government in Nam Phong District, Khon Kaen Province were that some local government organizations have not yet given an opportunity to the public to participate in the management and assessment of the local government organization. Therefore, people should be appointed as members of the assessment committee of projects according to the development plan to seriously assess the transparency in the operation of the management of the local government organization. The people should be allowed to participate in the activities, planning, making decisions to propose local problems and needs.