People’s Participation in Khok Yai Community Forest Management Wapi Pathum District Maha Sarakham Province

Abstract

This research consists purposes were 1. to study the level of public participation in the management of Khok Yai Community Forest 2. to compare the participation in the management of Khok Yai Community Forest among people with different genders, ages, education levels, occupations, monthly incomes and lengths of residence in the community and 3. to gather recommendations regarding public participation in the management of Khok Yai Community Forest in Wapi Pathum District Maha Sarakham Province. This research is quantitative. The research instrument used is a questionnaire. The sample group consists of 372 residents living around the Khok Yai Community Forest area in Wapi Pathum District Maha Sarakham Province. The sample size was determined using Taro Yamane’s formula (1973) and the sampling was conducted using a 2-stage sampling method, which ensures that each unit in the population has an equal chance of being selected, helping to distribute the sample across the study area and ensure provincial representation. The researcher applied stratified random sampling by determining proportional quotas and then using simple random sampling within each stratum. The data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including percentage, mean, and standard deviation. For comparative analysis, the t-test and F-test. The research findings revealed that 1) The overall level of public participation in the management of Khok Yai Community Forest in Wapi Pathum District Maha Sarakham Province, including all specific aspects, was at the highest level (x̅ = 4.54, S.D. = 0.27) 2) A comparison of public participation in the management of Khok Yai Community Forest showed that participation levels differed significantly by gender at the 0.05 level of statistical significance. However, no statistically significant differences were found in participation based on age, education level, occupation, monthly income, or duration of residence in the community and 3) Recommendations for enhancing public participation in the management of Khok Yai Community Forest include promoting awareness and a sense of responsibility, organizing training and educational programs, installing public signs to communicate rules and regulations and developing a community forest management plan in collaboration with all relevant sectors.