Buddhism Way Paradigms Related to Electric Energy Consumption in the Greater Mekong Subregion

Abstract

         The objectives of this research were: 1) to study Buddhism way paradigms related to electric energy consumption in Thailand and Laos PDR, 2) to analyze factors of the Buddhism way paradigms related to electric energy consumption, and 3) to construct the proposes of the policies and strategies for developing the electric energy consumption relevant to the ways of life, cultures, and Thailand contexts and to create the electric energy consumption manual. This research was conducted as a qualitative research in Thailand: Chiang Rai and Nong Khai provinces, and Laos PDR: Bo Kaew and Salawan provinces, and a quantitative research in Pathum Thani province, Thailand. The samples, selected by purposive sampling, were 30 participants from monks, novices, and villagers in Thailand, 30 participants from Laos PDR, and 500 participants involving in the research from Pathum Thani province. The research instrument was a questionnaire. The statistics were mean, standard deviation, and factor analysis.

            The research findings were found as follows.

1. According to the study of the Buddhism way paradigms related to electric energy consumption, the findings showed that the framework of the desired behavior based on the five precepts consisted of 6 components: 1) assiduity, 2) honesty, 3) sacrifice, 4) gratitude, 5) economy, and 6) cleanness.
2. The factors of the study Buddhism way paradigms related to electric energy consumption consisted of 7 components: 1) good Buddhists, 2) ways of the countryside life and homescapes in the monks’ house styles, 3) the electricity generating authority ready to organize the 5 percept community system, 4) temples, 5) gratitude, 6) HTG: houses, temples, and government sectors, and 7) festivals held in the temples according to the 12 traditions.
3. The proposes of the policies and strategies for developing the electric energy consumption included promoting and supporting the government employees to be trained, promoting and supporting the residents to participate in the community activities, supporting the temples to be the centers of the residents’ minds, supporting the residents to maintain the ways of the Buddhists’ life, supporting the householders, the monks, the teachers having the relationship together, and supporting the government sectors and the residents restoring the traditional festivals of the 12 traditions.