Community Participation in Conservation and Inheritance of Lak Phra Bok Festival in Phipun District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

             This research aimed to study the participation of the community in the conservation and inheritance of Lak Phra Bok festival in Phipun District, problems and obstacles of community participation in conservation and inheritance Lak Phra Bok festival. And guidelines for promoting community participation in conservation and inheritance of Lak Phra Bok festival in Phipun District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The methodology conducted in this research was mixed methods research. Data were collected from 433 people by determining the sample size according to the Yamane formula and random sampling according to the proportion of the population. And target groups of 37 people by purposive sampling. The research instruments were questionnaires, document analysis, interviews, participant and non-participant observations. Data were analyzed by using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and content analysis.             The research findings were as follows: 1) The community participation in conserving and inheritance of Lak Phra Bok festival in Phipun District by quantitative found that: The community participation in the whole was at a high level. With the most participation in Implementation and the Participation in monitoring and evaluation was at the lowest level. The qualitative part showed that (1)  Participation in thinking and making decisions have leaders were invited to the meeting to jointly think, make decisions and propose opinions in organizing activities. (2) Participation in Implementation have a meeting to plan ahead and come to a conclusion together, co-sacrificing money, materials, equipment and labor. There is a division of duties assigned to each other according to skills and aptitude. (3) Participation in receiving benefits have receive funding from the government sector, proud of their faith in Buddhism and local traditions. This has generates income for people in the community. (4) Participation in monitoring and evaluation have informal monitoring and evaluation of the performance by discussions to exchange of opinions and give suggestions on the performance. 2) Problems and obstacles of community participation in conservation and inheritance of Lak Phra Bok festival in Phipun District found that: The budget was insufficient, shortage of boatmakers, lack of community interaction, participants are only the elderly, the purpose of the event has changed, no knowledge gathering agency, no bundles, lack of public relations and dissemination of information, the decision comes from a government agency, receiving benefits is not equal and not participating in the performance monitoring. 3) Guidelines for promoting community participation in conservation and inheritance of Lak Phra Bok festival in Phipun District should raise awareness of the community to recognize the importance of tradition, education about the tradition should be made by both in and outside the school system, promote the formation of groups or organizations, developing the tradition for better suit the present situation, creating a network of cooperation and encourage the organization of a continuous community forum.