GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING PEOPLE’S VILLAGE FUNDS IN SUPHAN BURI PROVINCE

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the management practices of the village fund in Suphan Buri Province and to formulate management guidelines tailored to the village fund in Suphan Buri Province. In this qualitative study, the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle was used as a conceptual framework. In-depth interviews with key informants, including village leaders and 15 village fund committee members, served as the primary research instrument. The data analysis involved content analysis and the results were presented in a descriptive format.

The in-depth interviews shed light on the main operational problems of the village fund. These included six key problems: 1) members lacked comprehensive information about the fund; 2) there were errors in record keeping and documentation; 3) both members and committee members were frequently absent from meetings; 4) the committee had gaps in knowledge and understanding of fund implementation; 5) committee members often held additional positions within the village; and 6) committee members faced pressure from relatives to obtain greater credit privileges than general members.

The recommendations for fund management in Suphan Buri province include several key strategies. 1) The committee should proactively utilize social media platforms to effectively disseminate important information. 2) Committee members should be trained by provincial authorities, especially in areas such as accounting and computer literacy. 3) Priority attendance at meetings is crucial to improve the Committee's understanding and synchronization with the Fund's operations. In addition, 4) the Committee should actively work to improve communication among its members. 5) For Committee members who hold additional offices within the Village, a significant focus should be on adjusting their schedules to allow for efficiency. And 6) The Committee should treat all members of the Fund with fairness and equality.