Process of Community Participation in Identity Communication of Thung Bangkhen, Thailand

Abstract

This qualitative research study emphasized the implementation of community participation in searching, analyzing and exploring the identity of Thung Bangkhen or Bangkhen Field, Bangkok by adopting the Thailand 4.0 policy which underlines the development fostered by strengthening the internal economy. The study aimed at improving dissemination of the identity of Thung Bangkhen through community participation process. The informants of the study were divided into 2 groups, namely “the Bangkhen Field community members” and “the outsiders or non-community members”. As for the research process, at each step, knowledge exchange and community participation were practiced while collecting and synthesizing data in order to obtain information which was acceptable to the community members. The findings of the study reveal that the true identity of Thung Bangkhen is that this area was Siam’s bread basket where 2 Siamese kings, that is, King Rama VIII and King Rama IX spread rice seeds in person. This historic event should be wodely publicized. Thus, the community members decided to host an event called “The Legend of Thung Bangkhen” in order to disseminate the true identity of the community. This event was successfully held with the cooperation amongst the researchers, the community members, and the outsiders who worked voluntarily according to their skills. To achieve the set goals required some contributing factors, namely community capital, transmission and ritualistic models of communication, appropriate media, as well as community participation process with which the community members and the insiders involved.