SELF-COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT MODEL TO CREATE THE STRENGTH AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY A CASE STUDY OF BAN KLONG RUA CHUMPHON IN THAILAND

Abstract

          The objectives of this article were to 1) study on history of Ban Khlong Rua community, 2) to study on self-management of Ban Khlong Rua community, and 3) to study on problems and obstacles of self-management of Ban Khlong Rua community. In this qualitative research, the data were collected from documentary research and interviews with 8 key informants. The data were analyzed in descriptive method. The findings showed that 1) the history of Ban Khlong Rua community since its beginning took a significant role in building a self-management culture and successfully strengthened its dynamics that eventually created an identity of the community, 2) the self-management of Ban Khlong Rua community was outstanding in various aspects, e.g., natural resource and environmental management, energy from natural sources, social and cultural matters of the community since it attached importance to the participation of community members in every stage so effectively that it could be a model for other communities in Thailand, and 3) the important problems and obstacles of self-management of Ban Khlong Rua community were the developments from external sector interrupting long preserved community dynamics, particularly those linking to materialistic values, which resultantly affected community members relationship, natural resources, environment, and ecological system in the community as such developments focused on financial matters which were the important problems and obstacles of members of Ban Khlong Rua community. Fortunately, with cultural strength and ability of community leader group, Ban Khlong Rua community can still maintain its identity of self-management and would become a strong model for other communities.