People’s Participation through Social Media Facebook of Thai Government Agencies

Abstract

The research aimed to study the characteristic in using Facebook, factors associated with the use of Facebook, factors affecting the use of Facebook, barriers to use Facebook and guidelines for government agencies to people’s participation through Facebook. The quantitative research and qualitative research were applied. In quantitative research, population was the department in governments. The sample were 108 units and the instruments were questionnaire. For qualitative research, the instrument was structured interview. The targeted group consisted of executives or representatives from six government agencies and three academic experts in social media. The results showed that most government agencies using Facebook as a support agencies. Facebook was used as page via the Website of the agencies. The unit within the administration was administrators. The objectives of using were the channel of communication or public relations to people. Factors affecting to people’s participation through Facebook were the support of the leader, policy objectives and people’s cooperation with the highest. The government agencies did not using Facebook because of having already channel of communication and there were no administrators etc. For the barriers of public agencies using Facebook for people’s participation was lack of knowledge of staffs etc. The guidelines for government agencies to the people’s participation through Facebook were the staff training and public relations etc