APPLICATION OF BUDDHADHAMMA FOR PROMOTING POLITICAL BEHAVIOR OF CITIZENS IN EXERCISING THEIR VOTING RIGHTS TO ELECT LOCAL LEADERS AT PHICHAI MUNICIPALITY, IN LAMPANG PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives of this research article were: 1. To investigate the level of political behavior among citizens in exercising their voting rights in local elections; 2. To examine the relationship between Bala 4 and citizens’ political behavior; and 3. To propose guidelines for applying Buddhadhamma application for promoting citizens’ political behavior in exercising their voting rights for local leader elections at Phichai Municipality, Lampang Province, conducted by the mixed-methods research. The quantitative research, collected data through questionnaires from a sample of 387 citizens aged 18 years and above residing in the research area. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. The qualitative research, involved in-depth interviewing 10 key informants, and the data were analyzed using descriptive content interoretation.

The findings revealed that: 1. The overall level of citizens’ political behavior in exercising their voting rights in local elections was at a high level ( = 4.17). When considered by dimension, voting participation had the highest mean score, followed by election monitoring and election campaign participation, respectively. 2. The relationship between Bala 4 and citizens’ political behavior in exercising their voting rights for local leader elections at Phichai Municipality, Lampang Province, showed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.633), with statistically significant level at the 0.01, indicatng that the Bala 4 application contributed to enhancing citizens’ political behavior more effectively. 3. Bala 4 application, namely, Paññābala, wisdom power,  Viriyabala, effort power,Anavajjabala, blamelessness power and Saṅgahabala, supportive power served as a conceptual framework for fostering citizens’ political consciousness by strengthening their political knowledge, understanding, and moral judgment, thereby enabling them to make rational electoral decisions based on ethical principles rather than personal interests or external inducements.