Participatory Communication for Sustainable Community Development in Nong Mek Subdistrict, Na Chueak District, Maha Sarakham Province

Abstract

A study of participatory communication to study forms of participatory communication, communication capacity enhancement, and to study the effects of the community empowerment of participatory communication among villagers in sustainable community development. In the area of Nong Mek Subdistrict, Na Chueak District, Maha Sarakham Province. This research was Participatory Action Research. The sample was 90 people in Nong Mek sub-district by purposive sampling, including community leaders, media representatives, public relations personnel, public health volunteers, youth, and interested people. Research instruments include In-depth Interviews, Focus Group Discussion, Brain Storming, and participant observation. Data analysis by this research was examined by Data Triangulation. The results showed that: (1) Community communication conditions: It was found that communication between people in the community was primarily messenger, a form of informal, top-down, one-way communication and communication. Vertical, through community leaders as messengers. This leads to the flow of information from outside to within the community, and the majority of the community plays the role of the recipient, which is the lowest level, only a small minority of the villagers acting as the messengers, which are often received by the community. Assigned by the community leaders once again. (2) The empowerment of participatory communication in the Nong Mek sub-district community area includes; (a) Organizing workshops on the use of personal media, online media, and other media. (b) Management of media traditions by exchanging knowledge between people, using villagers and temples to create community learning resources to transfer wisdom in managing community resources, and raising awareness on the conservation of natural resources and the environment. This led to the creation of an agreement for the use and care of the Nong Mek community forest. (3) A participatory communication model in the community consisting of communication roles, communication direction, and information flow, enabling people to communicate quickly and easily, both within and outside the community. People can keep up-to-date with the news on the situation leading to improving the quality of life of the people and developing the community faster.