Marketing Communication Perception and Merit Making Behavior of Buddhist in Nakhon Sawan Province DOI:

Abstract

         The objectives of this research were (1) to study the perception of marketing communication among Buddhists in Nakhon Sawan Province; and (2) to study the behavior of merit making among Buddhists in Nakhon Sawan Province by using a quantitative methodology with surveys and using questionnaires as a data collection tool from Buddhists in Nakhon Sawan Province. The total number of people is 400. The results showed that most of the respondents were female and had a bachelor's degree. They were also private employees who earn 5,001–10,000 baht, have single status, and attend temples to make merit 1-2 times a month. The perception of marketing communication through mass media. it was found that most were perceived through the temple/village broadcasting tower, followed by awareness through Facebook and television media, and those recognized through advertisements on the LED screen/digital display are minimal and perception of marketing communication without mass media.  it was found that the highest perception was through the Phapa bin, followed by the perception of various activities organized by the temple. And the least perceived through Line. The alms-giving behavior, it was found that the consecration was the highest.  The merit-making behavior, it was found that the most birds and fish released were found.  The behavior of merit-making in prayer, it was discovered that being a volunteer to teach Dharma was the most important. 

         From hypothesis testing, it was found that respondents of different genders, education, and occupations had different perceptions of non-media marketing communications. By the test results to compare the mean of each pair, it was found that, there was a statistically significant difference between lower than primary and secondary education/vocational certificate, between the primary and secondary education/vocational certificate and secondary/ vocational certificate and diploma/high vocational certificate, and between the level of secondary education/vocational certificate and a bachelor's degree. The results of the test that compared average pairs showed that there were statistically different results between students and private employees and between government employees and private employees.