People’s Participation in Buddhist Tourism Management Based on the Seven Principles of Aparihàniyadhamma Mueang Uthai Thani District Uthai Thani Province

Abstract

This research article aims to: 1) examine the level of public participation, 2) explore the relationship between Buddhist tourism management based on the principles of Aparihaniyadhamma in temples and public participation, and 3) identify approaches to enhance public participation in Buddhist tourism management in Mueang Uthai Thani District, Uthai Thani Province. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing a questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of .990. The sample size, determined using the Krejcie & Morgan table, consisted of 372 respondents. The statistical tools used for analysis included mean, standard deviation, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and qualitative research through in-depth interviews with 15 key informants selected through purposive sampling. A semi-structured interview guide was used as the research instrument. The research findings revealed that: 1) the overall level of public participation in Buddhist tourism management in Mueang Uthai Thani District, Uthai Thani Province was low ( = 2.34, S.D. = 1.11). When examined individually, all aspects were rated at a low level. 2) There was a highly significant positive correlation between Buddhist tourism management based on the principles of Aparihaniyadhamma and public participation in Buddhist tourism management in Mueang Uthai Thani District, Uthai Thani Province (r = 0.907), with statistical significance at the 0.01 level. 3) The approaches to enhancing public participation included: 3.1) fostering a positive attitude towards participation by encouraging community support, 3.2) organizing consistent and meaningful Buddhist tourism activities, 3.3) building teams and fostering collaboration, 3.4) ensuring benefits are integrated and shared among all stakeholders, 3.5) managing Buddhist tourism in accordance with the principles of Aparihaniyadhamma, and 3.6) conducting regular evaluations.