BUDDHIST INTEGRATION TO PROMOTE POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING IN DEMOCRACY AMONG PEOPLE IN NAKHON RATCHASIMA MUNICIPALITY

Abstract

Objectives of this research article were:  1. To study the knowledge and understanding of democratic politics among the residents of Nakhon Ratchasima City Municipality; 2. To examine the factors influencing this knowledge and understanding; and 3. To propose a Buddhadshamma integration for promoting such knowledge and understanding among the residents, conducted by the mixed-methods research.  The quantitative research,  data were collected from 400 samples using a questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.877, and were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and stepwise multiple regression. The qualitative data were gathered through focus group discussions with nine participants and in-depth interviews with 18 key informants.

The research findings revealed the following: 1. Citizen’s political understanding within a democratic system comprised four dimensions: 1) Sovereignty; recognizing citizen’s rights, duties, and responsibilities. 2) Rights and Liberties; promoting civic awareness and the free expression of opinions. 3) Equality; fostering a shared sense of civic ownership and ensuring universal access to information. 4) Fraternity; living together with generosity, respecting differences, and building unity. 2. Regarding factors influencing citizen’s political understanding in the Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality, it was found that channels for receiving political news and the principles of the Tisikkha significantly influenced this understanding at the 0.05 level, collectively predicting 55.4 percent and 15.3 percent of the variance, respectively. 3. Buddhadhamma integration for promoting political understanding among citizens in the Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality through the application of the Tisikkha demonstrated that: 1) Sila; morality, served as the foundation for appropriate conduct and harmonious coexistence. 2) Samadhi; mental discipline, fostered mental stability, enabling citizens to exercise their rights and liberties rationally.  3) Panna; wisdom, facilitated analytical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, and constructive participation in the development of society and the nation.