Thai Village rules in legal context : A case study of Mahasarakham province

Abstract

          The objectives of the research were to study the history and community regulations or laws in the areas of Maha Sarakham Province, to investigate the process for improving community regulations and to propose a model and status of community regulations in the areas of Maha Sarakham Province. The target population was four hundred participants consisting of villagers, community leaders and government officials in Maha Sarakham Province. The data was collected by questionnaire. The data was calculated, tabulated and analyzed by means of statistical procedures. The content analysis was used for the study.

1. 1. The study showed that the community regulations based on the government policies and local traditions. Public hearing method was always used for making community regulations through public participation. The overall participation of the villagers, the elders and the government officials in making the community regulation was at a moderate level. (= 3.37). The seven high rated items of the components were geographical feature, ( = 3.46), healthcare ( =3.42), politics and government  (=  3.40), culture, traditions and belief ( = 3.36), society ( = 3.34), health ( = 3.33) and economy ( = 3.30) respectively. The practical guidelines of community regulations for the villagers consisted of seven issues: directing, government and peace, community development plan, economic, social and environmental promotion, public health education, religion and culture, and other issued based on the areas.
2. 2. The process for making community regulations were made by the government policies and local traditions through public hearing and focus group discussion method of all stakeholders for peace and conflict management in community. Three cases of the conflict: the quarrel of people in Laomek village, Naphu Sub-district, Yangsrisurat District, Mahasarakham Province; occupying illegal weapons of people in Nongkhe village, Khamriand Sub-district, Kantarawichai District, Mahasarakham Province; gambling of people in community. The clients of three cases were considered by the elders, villagers and government officials in

Maha Sarakham Province before legal proceeding by the police. The seven moderate rated items of the issues were geographical features, healthcare, politics and government, culture, traditions and belief, health, economy respectively.

1. 3. The model and status of community regulations in the law context for the villagers in Maha Sarakham Province based on the three cases was designed and developed by public hearing and group discussion of the villagers, community leaders and government officials from thirteen districts in Maha Sarakham Province. The model for practical guidelines included seven areas: 1) directing, 2) government and peace, 3) community development plan, 4) economic promotion, 5) society, environment and public health, 6) education, religion and culture, and 7) other.