The research consisted of three objectives, namely, 1) to study the roles of Buddhist monks in community development in Muangsurin district, Surin province, 2) to compare the roles of Buddhist monks in community development, classified in personal factors and 3) to study problems, obstacles and suggestion in this area. The population was people living in Muangsurin district, Surin province. There are 302 samples chosen by using Krejcie and Morgan table. The independent variables are age, years of monkhood (Phansa), Dhamma studies, Pali studies, position and the dependent Variable is community development. The tools used to collect information were questionnaires and open ended ones. The questionnaire reliability gained was 0.05 and the statistics used in data analysis were frequency, percent, age, mean, standard deviation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Least Significant Difference: LSD, and content analysis.
The research findings were concluded as follows :
1. The overall Buddhist monk’s roles in community development were found at high in all aspects (x̅ = 3.87). When it’s considered in each aspect, it’s highest level in every area with the average of (x̅ = 3.91), ordering from high to low as follows mental, social, educational, environmental, and economic.
2. With regard to comparison of the roles of Buddhist monks in community development, classified by personal factors, it had found that age, years of monkhood, level of the Dhhamma studies, Pali study, general education, position and working experience had statistical significant differences with community development at 0.05 level of confidence result separated in age, years of monkhood (Phansa), Dhamma educated, Pali educated, qualification, position and work experience was different with statistical significant at 0.05 levels.
3. The problems and obstacles noted as follows the first, Buddhist monks paid less importance to community development, lack of crucial sharing or devotion, following in traditional types, having no creating idea. The second, Buddhist monks lack of planning, method, policy, exact strategy, discontinuation in community development, and the third, at the present, the government organization and sectors are in progress with helping social or community widely and thoroughly causing temples and Buddhist monks haves less or rare roles contradictory with the past which temples were a centre or shelter of community.
4. Suggestion to support Buddhist monks in their duties revealed that the first, Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand should make up a master plan, policy in time and clearly about Buddhist monks’ roles to be guidance in real action. The second, Buddhist Orders should support monks to develop their capability, knowledge, ability, and root them more a sharing mind, and the last, Buddhist monks should have join hand with local sectors in making a campaign to acknowledge people in environment conservation and living in a base of sufficiency.
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