THE STRENGTHENING OF THE RUAMJAI BANGNAMJUED FUNERAL WELFARE GROUP, BANGNAMJUED SUBDISTRICT, MUEANG SAMUT SAKHON DISTRICT, SAMUT SAKHON PROVINCE

Abstract

This research article aims to: (1) study the potential of the Ruamjai Bangnamjeud Funeral Welfare Group, Bangnamjeud Subdistrict, Mueang Samut Sakhon District, Samut Sakhon Province; (2) develop mechanisms to strengthen the group; and (3) implement the developed mechanisms in practical settings. The study employed Participatory Action Research (PAR) as its methodological framework, using small group discussions, participatory workshops, and pilot implementation in real community contexts to foster collaborative learning between researchers and group members, while continuously refining the mechanisms to suit local conditions.

The primary informants included seven executive committee members of the funeral welfare group, fifteen active group members, and nine community-based volunteers selected through a participatory community process. All informants had been group members for at least one year, possessed relevant experience or roles in group activities or management, and voluntarily committed to participate throughout the research project.

Data collection employed a variety of research tools to ensure comprehensive and in-depth information gathering, including:

(1) A semi-structured interview guide comprising 15 questions across three domains group potential, management mechanisms, and recommendations for organizational development;

(2) An observation checklist for assessing member participation in workshops, focusing on expression of ideas, role fulfillment, and communication, with 10 items across 2 main areas; and

(3) A workshop guideline encompassing situational analysis, mechanism co-design, and trial implementation of collaboratively developed approaches.

All instruments were validated for content accuracy (Content Validity) by three experts. The semi-structured interview and observation checklist underwent IOC (Index of Item-Objective Congruence) analysis, with scores ranging from 0.80 to 1.00, confirming alignment with the research objectives. Wording was refined for clarity and appropriateness to the target group’s understanding.