The community financial institution models to support the needs of the people and sustained community

Abstract

PURPOSES: To study the problems of an access to community capital sources in community financial institutions and the factors affecting sustainable community financial institutions. METHODS: The research was conducted by means of quantitative and qualitative approaches. The researcher conducted a survey of 180 samples of board members and committees of 6 outstanding community financial institutions in 5 regions of Thailand as well as an in-depth interview of 5 experts. RESULTS: The models of sustainable community financial institutions were formulated in 2 types i.e., self-reliance model, and semi-system model. In principle, the community financial institutions were operated by the people in each community based on the philosophy of sufficiency economy. Sustainable community financial institutions depends greatly on their members and committees who were committed to the ideology of balanced utilization of social, intellectual and financial capitals. THEORY/POLICY IMPLICATIONS: The research results support the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy and could be used as policy measures for sustained community financial models.