Public Attitude towards an Ideal Leader Aligning with the Ethical and Moral Principles of Governance: A Case Study of the Chief Executive of the Smaphlue Subdistrict Administrative Organization

Abstract

          The objectives of this research were: (1) to study the needs of local citizens regarding the ideal leader based on the principles of moral and ethical governance in the case of the Chief Executive of the Smaphlue Subdistrict Administrative Organization; (2) to compare citizens’ needs classified by personal factors; and (3) to propose guidelines for improving the development model of the ideal leader in accordance with moral and ethical principles of governance. This study employed a quantitative research method with a sample of 345 participants. The research instrument was a questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Scheffé’s post hoc test.

           The findings revealed that: (1) citizens expected their leaders to possess strong moral and ethical values, demonstrate high levels of leadership, manage according to the principles of good governance, and display effective administrative skills; (2) personal factors were generally not significant in determining citizens’ expectations, except for occupation, showing a statistically significant difference. Furthermore, the differences in citizens’ levels of awareness of moral ethical principles and political factors affected their expectations: those with higher awareness and greater political participation expected leaders to exhibit stronger moral integrity and managerial capability than others; and (3) the proposed guidelines for developing the ideal leader included fostering honesty, morality, and ethics, promoting public participation, and enhancing modern management skills. These elements were expected to raise the quality of local administrative governance and contribute to sustainable community development.