BUDDHIST INTEGRATION FOR PROMOTING PUBLIC SERVICE QUALITY OF MUANG KHLUNG CITY MUNICIPALITY, CHANTHABURI PROVINCE

Abstract

This research article aimed to: 1. Study the level of service quality for the public, 2. Examine the relationship between Buddhist principles and public service quality, and 3. Propose a Buddhist integration approach to enhance the public service quality of Khlung Municipality, Chanthaburi Province. The study employed a mixed-methods approach. The quantitative phase collected data through questionnaires from 371 participants, residents aged 18 years and above in Khlung Municipality. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and correlation coefficient. The qualitative phase collected data through in-depth interviews with 10 key informants (both monks and laypersons), and data were analyzed using content analysis.

The research findings revealed that: 1. The Buddhist integration for enhancing the public service quality of Khlung Municipality, based on the angahavatthu Dhamma, showed that the overall service quality was at the highest level (=4.64). By aspect, the ranking was as follows: Samanattata, consistency and fairness, ranked highest, followed by Atthacariya, helpful conduct, Dana (generosity), and Piyavaca (pleasant speech). 2. The angahavatthu Dhamma showed a significant positive correlation with the public service quality of Khlung Municipality at the 0.01 level, indicating that the more effectively these principles were integrated, the higher the quality of service performance. 3. The proposed Buddhist integration model for improving public service quality emphasized the mental development of service providers, fostering compassion, patience, sincerity, calmness, and stress reduction. It promoted service with mindfulness and empathy, enabling personnel to handle problems or conflicts efficiently and to build good relationships between service providers and citizens through the use of Buddhist principles that cultivated understanding, friendliness, and harmony.