Community Capital and Participation Process for Self-Reliance Community: A Comparative Study between Rangwai and Nongsarai Community Phanom Thuan District, Kanchanaburi Province

Abstract

            The objective of this qualitative research is to 1) compare the magnitude and composition the community capitals and participation process for self-reliance community of Rangwai and Nongsarai Community, Phanom Thuan District, Kanchanaburi Province, 2) investigate the relationship of their communities with the community capital and participation process, 3) discover factors leading to difference in their self-reliance process, and 4) propose approaches for capital management and community participation to become self-reliant communities.

             The results revealed that the communities had all community capitals including financial capital, human capital, social capital, and natural capital. However, some differences in each community capital were found as follows: making savings, debt, loan, and community products (financial capital), leaders’ characteristics (human capital), and groups and organizations in communities (social capital). Through the correlative analysis, it was found that leaders’ characteristics affected the establishment of groups and organizations in the communities (participation process) for community product management which could bring higher income to the communities. People in the communities would have less debt burden and could finally free themselves from debt, having more savings (economic self-reliance). Leaders could act as coordinators who could integrate all capitals to have their communities become self-reliant through their participation process. The factors leading to the successful implementation of self-reliance of Nongsarai Community different from Rangwai Community was their leaders with wide vision who contributed to the successful development of the community as well as good members, and these people became the community leadership council who would work for their community on the basis of righteousness and morality. In addition, it was found that members of Rangwai Community failed to gather with each other due their lack of human capital. Their leaders hardly dedicated themselves to their work, completing only the tasks they were assigned, and never initiated any projects which could contribute to the development of their community. In addition, their community members lacked unity, always acting as followers rather than leaders. Though united, they always experienced difficulty. This research proposed an approach for community capital management and participation process including community management, support from outside organizations, and community development on the basis of morality in three levels: individual, group, and community to become self-reliant communities.