POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF THE ELDERLIES AT MUANG RAYONG DISTRICT, RAYONG PROVINCE

Abstract

Objectives of this research paper were to study level of elderly persons’ political participation, to compare the elderly persons’ political participation, classified by personal factors and to study problems, obstacles, and recommendations for the elderly persons’ political participation. Methodologies were the mixed methods: The quantitative research, data were collected with questionnaires and the qualitative research, data were collected from 10 key informants by in-depth-interviewing and analyzed by content descriptive interpretation.

Findings were as follows: 1. Level of the elderly persons’ political participation by overall, were at middle level average = 3.36, the highest aspects where voting was at the highest level. 2. Results of comparison of the elderly persons political participation were found that people with different genders, education levels and political information exposure did not have different level of political participation, rejecting the set hypothesis. People with different occupations and income per month had different level of political participation, accepted the set hypothesis. 3. Recommendations for voting aspect; the elderly persons should be more informed the explanations must be done with simple, easy to understand language that is complete, clear, and concise. The election campaign activities aspect, Officials must hold the meeting regularly to inform the elderly persons Participation in community or social organizations activities must emphasize free time activities to create social activities leading to political activities.