People’s Participation in Developing Planning of Rongkhum Municipality, Rongkhum District, Kalassin Prpvince

Abstract

The objectives of this article were; 1) to study the level of people’s participation in development planning of Rongkhum Municipality, Rongkhum District, Kalassin Province, 2) to compare the  people’s participation in development planning of Rongkhum Municipality, Rongkhum District, Kalassin Province classified by personal data and 3) to study  problems, obstacles and recommendations for the people’s participation in development planning of Rongkhum Municipality, Rongkhum District, Kalassin Province, Research methodology was the mixed method between the quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative research collected data from 375 samples by cluster sampling from populations at Rongkhum District. The tool used for data collection was questionnaires and data were analyzed by frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation; SD, t-test and F-test by one way analysis of variance; ANOVA. Difference comparison of paired mean by Least Significant Difference; LSD.

              As for the qualitative research, 7 key informants were purposefully selected from experts. The tool for collecting data was the structured in-depth-interview, collecting data by face-to-face in-depth-interviewing. Data were analyzed by descriptive interpretation.

   Findings were as follows:

   1) The people’s participation in development planning of Rongkhum Municipality, Rongkhum District, Kalassin Province, were by overall at moderate level. Considering by each aspects, the people participation in development planning of Rongkhum Municipality, Rongkhum District, Kalassin Province was at moderate in all aspects; participation in shared benefits was at = 3.53, decision making at = 3.45, the operation at = 3.30 and the participation in monitoring and evaluation was at = 3.29 respectively.

             2) Comparison of  people’s participation in development planning of Rongkhum Municipality, Rongkhum District, Kalassin Province classified by personal data were that people with different age, occupations, monthly incomes and the length of residency had different level of participation, accepting the setr hypothesis. People with different sex and level of education did not have different level of participation,denying the set hypothesis.

             3) Problems and obstacles of the people’s participation in development planning of Rongkhum Municipality, Rongkhum District, Kalassin Province were that the Municipality had few villages as members. The opinion expression was also less. The development plan was carried out by officers and personnel of the municipality without people participation. The people did not know the benefits of the development plan. There might be personal benefits or corruption in doing the plan. It was not quite transparent. People gained less benefit from the municipality and had less participation in evaluation.   

              Recommendations were that the municipality should open the opportunity for the people in the villages to be members administering the projects. Public relations should reach people throughout. There should be committee consisting of members from the community to carry out the plans, enhancing the public consciousness in performing the duties. Open the opportunities for people to participate in many activities with the municipality such as flood problem. Open more opportunities for people to be committee to observe and evaluate the operation of the municipality.