POLITICAL PARTICIPATION PROMOTION ACCORDING TO BUDDHISM FOR WOMEN AT MUENG DISTRICT IN LOEI PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives of this research article were: 1. To study the level of political participation according to Buddhist principles among women at Mueang District, Loei Province. 2. To compare the political participation according to Buddhist principles among women at Mueang District, Loei Province, classified by personal factors. 3. To propose guidelines for promoting political participation according to Buddhist principles among women at Mueang District, Loei Province. This research employed a mixed- methods. The quantitative research collected data from 346 samples through questionnaires, and the obtained data were analyzed using a statistical software package for social sciences. The qualitative research gathered data through in-depth interviews with 10 key informants and the content was analyzed in conjunction with contextual interpretation.

Findings were as follows: 1. The level of political participation according to Buddhism of women at Mueang District, Loei Province, by overall, was at moderate level (=3.23). 2. The results of the comparison showed that: Women with different ages, education levels, occupations and incomes did not have different level of political participation promotion according to Buddhism at Mueang District, Loei Province. Therefore, the set hypothesis was rejected. 3. Promoting Women’s Political Participation according to Buddhism at Mueang District, Loei Province, the researcher integrated according to Sanghavattu as follows: 1. Dana; organizing volunteer activities to make merit with the community, campaigning through the media to encourage charity projects. 2. Piyavaja; encouraging the use of polite and appropriate language in daily life, promoting thinking before speaking and creative speaking, creating an atmosphere in the family and community conducive to good speech. 3. Atthacariya; organizing regular volunteer activities in the community, integrating service activities with the learning of children and youth, creating incentives by recognizing and rewarding those who give back to the community. and 4. Samanattata; cultivating the concept of self-sufficiency economy, promoting monetization from local resources and supporting organizations and agencies that promoted the philosophy of the Sufficiency Economy.