GUIDELINES FOR REDUCING WATER HYACINTH CONSUMPTION TO CREATE PARTICIPATORY PRODUCTS OF BANG LEN COMMUNITIES BANGYAI NONTHABURI

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) study the guidelines for participatory management of water hyacinth, 2) examine the model of participatory community products from water hyacinth, and 3) create innovations using water hyacinth through participatory action research. The research area was Bang Len community, Bang Yai District, Nonthaburi Province. The key informants include three groups: community members, local government representatives, and design experts. Research tools included group discussions, interviews, design evaluation forms, and questionnaires. Data analysis involved content analysis, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The research findings were as follows: 1) the guidelines for participatory management of water hyacinth involved strengthening collaboration networks among local government agencies and community members by preparing water hyacinth management equipment and applying community knowledge to address problems sustainably and add value to water hyacinth. 2) The suitable product model for the community was flower crafts made from water hyacinth, which received an overall rating at a good level with a mean score of 3.97 (SD 0.55), and 3) innovation using water hyacinth resulted in sound-absorbing wall panels made from water hyacinth. These panels had a 60:40 mix ratio of gypsum to shredded water hyacinth fiber, with the addition of CMC at 0.2 of the gypsum weight. The panels were in a hexagonal block shape, measuring 25 cm x 25 cm x 2.5 cm. Water hyacinth wall panels effectively absorbed sound in the low-frequency range up to 4,000 Hz, attributed to the air gaps in the gypsum mixture with water hyacinth fibers. The sound absorption coefficient ranged from 0.93 to 0.99.