BUDDHIST ETHICS TO PROMOTE POLITICAL COMMUNICATION OF LOCAL POLITICIANS IN RAYONG PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were: 1. to study the political communication of local politicians in Rayong Province; 2. to investigate the factors promoting the political communication of local politicians in Rayong Province; and 3. to propose Buddhist ethics for promoting the political communication of local politicians in Rayong Province. This study employed a mixed-methods research design. The qualitative research involved in-depth interviews with 18 key informants divided into five groups, namely Buddhist practitioners, political scientists, local politicians, and community leaders. The quantitative research collected data from 400 residents aged 18 years and over, determined by Yamane’s formula. The reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.990. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, stepwise multiple regression analysis, and descriptive content analysis.

Findings were as follows: 1. The overall political communication of local politicians in Rayong Province was at a moderate level, and all dimensions were also at a moderate level, including the monitoring of power, public information dissemination, watchdog functions, and transparency promotion, respectively. 2. Communication factors, namely the sender and message dimensions, jointly predicted the promotion of political communication among local politicians in Rayong Province at 24.7 percent. In addition, the Desanavidha 4 principles, particularly Sandassana (clarification) and Samadapana (persuasion), jointly predicted political communication at 24.3 percent with statistical significance at the 0.01 level, and 3. The Buddhist ethics for promoting political communication among local politicians in Rayong Province were based on the Desanavidha 4 principles: Samadapana, encouraging voluntary participation; Sandassana, presenting facts clearly and concretely; Samuttejana, inspiring courage and responsibility through sincere communication; and Sampahamsana, providing encouragement and hope based on practical possibilities.