A Political Model for Civil Society and Participatory Local Development Based on Aparihāniyadhamma in Roi Et Province

Abstract

This research aimed to: (1) examine the model of civil society politics and participation in local community development based on the integrated principles of Aparihāniyadhamma in Roi Et Province; (2) develop such a model to suit the local context; and (3) propose a model of civil society politics that can be applied to promote public participation in community development. The sample consisted of 169 representatives from the public sector, private sector, and civil society, as well as 9 experts who participated in a focus group discussion. The research instruments included a focus group discussion guide and a questionnaire. The Index of Item–Objective Congruence (IOC) ranged from 0.67 to 1.00, the discrimination index ranged from 0.445 to 0.852, and the overall reliability coefficient was 0.982. The statistics used for data analysis included percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, multiple regression analysis, and descriptive analysis.
The findings revealed that:
1. Civil society politics and participation in local community development based on the integrated principles of Aparihāniyadhamma were at a high level. The relationship between civil society politics and participation in local community development was positively correlated (r = .648, p-value = .000).
2. The developed model of civil society politics consists of three key components: (1) input, which emphasizes community participation based on the principles of Aparihāniyadhamma as conditions for progress; (2) process, which involves steps for developing individuals and society to achieve quality; and (3) output, which leads to improved well-being, stability, and quality of life of the people.
3. The proposed model of civil society politics leads to a systematic development process, including collaborative planning, knowledge sharing, participation from all sectors, and the establishment of cooperative networks.