Political Participation According to the Apparihaniyadhamma of the Elderly in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province

Abstract

The objectives of the research were 1) to study the political participation according to Aparihaniyadhamma of the elderly in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province, 2) to compare the people’s opinions on the political participation according to Aparihaniyadhamma of the elderly in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province classified by personal factors and 3) to present the political participation according to Aparihaniyadhamma of the elderly in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province. The research methodology was the mixed method. The qualitative research collected data from 10 key informants by in-depth interviews and the quantitative research collected data with questionnaires from 394 samples out of 25,512 people aged 60 years upwards living in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province. The research tools were questionnaires and interview formats. The data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, hypotheses were tested by t-test and F-test, and the data were analyzed with descriptive interpretation.

The results found that 1) The levels of the political participation according to Aparihaniyadhhamma of the elderly in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province overall were high ( =3.79), when classified by side from high to low as follows: election voting ( =3.81), joining communal activities or social organizations ( =3.79) and participating in campaign activities ( =3.76) respectively 2) The comparison of the people’s opinions about the political participation according to Aparihaniyadhamma of the elderly in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province found that the people with different sex and educations had no different opinions about the political participation according to Aparihaniyadhamma of the elderly in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province whereas those with different ages, occupations and incomes had different opinions with the statistical significance 0.05. 3) The result of presenting the political participation according to Aparihaniya dhamma of the elderly in Phu Khiao District, Chaiyaphum Province found that for election voting according, the elderly should accept the election rules and respect different opinions of other voters.  They should go to vote regularly and on the noted time and dates and they should vote for the candidates who are not against regulations or general laws. For participating in campaign activities according, the elderly should join campaigning to encourage people to respect and accept others’ opinions, even different opinions of other voters. They should persuade the family members and others to vote on the fixed dates and should honor each other, not oppress others, honor women, and respect the laws and the voting places. For joining communal activities or social organizations according, the elderly with state sectors or communities should participate in setting policy on voting on the fixed day. They should participate in activities to support respect to laws, social rules and the important places in communities. They should join presenting communal regulations about protecting the local people in voting.