BUDDHIST INTEGRATION FOR PROMOTING DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP OF PEOPLE AT BANGKRUAI DISTRICT, NONTHABURI PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives of this research article were: 1. To analyze the level of democratic citizenship, 2. To analyze the factors affecting democratic citizenship, and 3. To analyze the use of Buddhist integration to promote democratic citizenship of people at Bangkruai District, Nonthaburi Province, conducted by the mixed research methods. The quantitative research using a questionnaire to collect data from 399 samples. The statistics used were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and multiple regression analysis. The qualitative research, data were collected by in-depth interviewing 10 key informants using an in-depth-interview script and analyzed the data using content descriptive interpretation.

Findings were as follows: 1. Political nurturing among people at Bangkruai District, Nonthaburi Province, by overall, was at a moderate level. The promotion of democratic citizenship based on the principle of Sucirata, Honesty, by overall, was at a high level. And democratic citizenship was at a high level. 2. The political nurturing factors and the promotion of democratic citizenship based on the principle of Sucarita, honesty 3 affected democratic citizenship and could together explain 61.3 percent of the variance in democratic citizenship. And 3. Buddhist integration to promote democratic citizenship at Bangkruai District, Nonthaburi Province was found that there was political cultivation through family, education, friends, media, and political institutions by teaching morality and promoting participation. There was the integration of the Sucarita 3, honest principles to promote participation, polite communication, reducing conflict, increasing cooperation, and building confidence in the administrative system. Integration with other Buddhist doctrines will help increase the efficiency of strengthening citizenship in a democratic regime.