Community Welfare Management in Nong Ngu Luam Sub-district, Mueang Nakhon Pathom District, Nakhon Pathom Province

Abstract

          This research aimed to: 1) study the patterns and processes of community welfare management, and 2) examine the problems, obstacles, and conditions of the Community Welfare Fund of Nong Ngu Lueam Sub-district, Mueang Nakhon Pathom District, Nakhon Pathom Province. This qualitative research employed in-depth interviews with 15 key informants. The research instruments included semi-structured interviews, primary data collection through in-depth interviews, and secondary data. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive analysis methods.

           The research findings revealed that 1) the Nong Ngu Lueam Sub-district Community Welfare Fund was established in 2009 with a current membership of 1,015 people. It provided 14 types of welfare services covering life from birth to death, including marriage, newborn welcoming ceremonies, illness care, elderly care, death benefits, educational promotion, sports, and cultural activities through mutual assistance within the community. The management model employed decentralized administration at the village level through Village Health Volunteers (VHVs) as the primary mechanism for expansion and outreach to members throughout the sub-district. 2) The problems and obstacles included lack of contributions from local government organizations. This demonstrated that the Nong Ngu Lueam Sub-district Community Welfare Fund served as an example of community welfare development requiring continuous improvement to create sustainability within the community.