Opinions of the Royal Forest Department Personnels toward Integrity and Transparency Assessment of the Government Agencies

Abstract

               Integrity and transparency are essential principles in the operation of public sector organizations. This study aimed to examine the general characteristics, opinions, and factors influencing the opinions of personnel of the Royal Forest Department regarding the Integrity and Transparency Assessment (ITA) of public sector operations. A questionnaire was used as the data collection instrument, administered to a sample of 385 respondents. Data collection was conducted from June to July 2024. The data were analyzed using t-test and F-test statistics at a significance level of 0.05.

              The results revealed that the majority of respondents were female (56.62%), with an average age of 41.49 years. Most respondents were single (56.36%) and had an average household size of 3.29 persons. The majority held a bachelor’s degree (53.25%), were government employees (56.36%), and had an average length of service of 12.50 years. The average monthly income was 25,890.91 baht. Most respondents had no secondary occupation (87.01%) and reported that their income was equal to their expenses (43.12%). Information regarding the Integrity and Transparency Assessment was primarily received through internal public relations media (42.86%), and respondents had participated in the assessment an average of 1.93 times. Most respondents demonstrated a high level of knowledge and understanding of integrity and transparency (75.32%). Overall, the opinions of Royal Forest Department personnel toward the Integrity and Transparency Assessment of public sector operations were rated at a high level (mean = 3.75). Factors influencing their opinions included gender and age. The findings of this study can be utilized to enhance integrity and transparency in the operations of the Royal Forest Department, thereby strengthening the credibility of the organization.