Channels of Public Awareness of Political Party Policies in the 2023 General Election

Abstract

     This study titled "Policy Perception Channels of Political Parties in Thailand's 2023 General Election," aims to: (1) examine the channels through which eligible voters perceived political party policies during the 2023 general election; (2) investigate the relationship between demographic factors and policy perception channels; and (3) analyze strategic approaches for selecting policy communication channels for political parties in the future. The study employs a quantitative research design, collecting data through a questionnaire administered to a sample of 400 eligible voters. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to explain general characteristics and media usage patterns, and inferential statistics using the Chi-square test to examine the relationships between demographic factors and policy perception channels.
     The findings reveal that the five most frequently selected channels for perceiving political party policies were Facebook (63.00%), campaign billboards (60.75%), television (57.25%), candidate or party visits to local communities (39.50%), and YouTube (28.00%), respectively. Overall, voters perceived party policies through a combination of multiple channels, integrating both traditional and online media. Furthermore, demographic factors that showed statistically significant relationships with policy perception channels were age, occupation, and income (p < .05). Significant differences across demographic groups were observed in the use of Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, websites, and debate forums, with effect sizes ranging from low to moderately high (Cramer's V = 0.115-0.350).
     Based on the classification of communication channels, the analysis suggests that political parties should adopt a segmented communication strategy that takes into account demographic diversity. Such a strategy should prioritize online media as the primary communication channel, while integrating traditional media and event- based communication to enhance the effectiveness of policy outreach and public policy perception.