PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF DUTY PERFORMANCE OF SUB-DISTRICT AND VILLAGE HEADMEN AT SUAN LUANG SUB-DISTRICT, AMPHAWA DISTRICT, SAMUT SONGKHRAM PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives of this research article were: 1. To examine the level of public perception toward duty performance of village headmen and sub-district headmen at Suan Luang Sub-District, Amphawa District, Samut Songkhram Province; 2. To investigate the relationship between Cakka 4, the Four Wheels of Dhamma, and public perception of village and sub- district headmen’s duty performance; and 3. To propose guidelines for applying Cakka 4 to enhance the effectiveness of village and sub-district headmen’s duty performance, conducted by the mixed-methods. The quantitative research, data were collected from 366 samples who were residents aged 18 years and above using questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The qualitative research, data were collected by in-depth interviewing 10 key informants and analyzed using descriptive content interpretation.

The findings revealed that: 1. By overall, the level of public perception toward the duty performance of village and sub-district headmen was high ( = 4.17, S.D. = 0.80); 2. Cakka 4, Four Wheels of Dhamma showed a positive relationship with public perception at a moderate level (r = 0.776), with statistically significant level at the 0.01 and 3. The application of Cakka 4 to enhance duty performance was found to be practically applicable, including community development, building moral networks, maintaining fairness and neutrality, and promoting moral accumulation in society. These contributed to trust, cooperation, and sustainable peace in the community.