The Relationship Between Community Capital and Community Strength in the Special Economic Zone Area of Sakaeo Province

Abstract

This research aims to study the existing community capital and resilience, as well as their relationship and the influence of the community capital on resilience in the Special Economic Zone of Sa Kaeo Province. The sample consisted of 416 household heads residing in Phak Kha Subdistrict, Wattana Nakhon District, and Tha Kham, Ban Dan, and Pa Rai Subdistricts, Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province, obtained through multi-stage random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires developed by the researcher, comprising a general information questionnaire, a questionnaire on enduring community capital divided into five aspects—social, environmental, human, cultural, and economic—and a community resilience questionnaire, The content validity indices were .90 and .82, while the reliability coefficients were .92 and .89. respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis.

The study revealed that the community capital in the Special Economic Zone of Sa Kaeo Province was high in the social aspect (M=3.49, SD=0.43), followed by moderate levels in
the environmental (M=3.40, SD=0.40), human (M=3.08, SD=0.49), cultural (M=2.95, SD=0.45), and economic (M=2.85, SD=0.55) aspects. The level of community resilience was moderate (M=3.33, SD=0.31). Correlation analysis indicated a statistically significant positive correlation between
each aspect of community capital and community resilience (r=.31-.75, p<.01). The five aspects of community capital collectively predicted 47.7% of community resilience, with environmental capital having the greatest impact (Beta=.575, p<.001), followed by human (Beta=.160, p<.001), social (Beta=.146, p<.001), and economic (Beta=.025, p<.05) capital, respectively. Cultural capital did not show a statistically significant influence on community resilience.