The Process of Self-Reliant Community Planning: A Comparative Study between the Prototype Communities in the Central Region of Thailand and Pilot Communities in Bangkok

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) to study and compare the processof self-reliant community planning between the prototype communities in thecentral region of Thailand and the pilot communities in Bangkok: 2) to studythe problems and obstacles in the process of self-reliant community planning;and 3) to propose guidelines for the effective process of self-reliant communityplanning. This research used the qualitative method where data was collectedby documentary study and in-depth interview. The researcher found that theprocess of self-reliant community planning of the prototype communities inthe central region of Thailand and the pilot communities in Bangkok overallwas similar. Nevertheless, there were some different steps, for example, problemsand obstacles of the process of self-reliant community planning regardingdata collection, lack of opinion leaders, the public awareness of villagers, theattitudes of government agencies, and lack of external supports. Guidelines for the effective process of self-reliant community planning were proposed in twoways: a) activities to the self-reliant community planning, and b) the creationof a learning process to self-reliant community planning.