The Development of Integrated Buddhist Service Quality of Pabong Subdistrict Municipality, Saraphi District, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

This research aims to: (1) examine the level of public service delivery by the Pa Bong Subdistrict Municipality in Saraphi District, Chiang Mai Province; (2) compare citizens’ perceptions of service quality based on the principles of Buddhist integration, categorized by personal demographic factors; and (3) propose guidelines for improving the quality of Buddhist-integrated public services. A mixed-methods approach was employed, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The quantitative data were collected from a sample of 370 citizens who received public services, using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using basic statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-tests. For the qualitative part, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine key informants, and the data were analyzed using content analysis.

The findings revealed that: (1) the overall level of service delivery by the municipality was high across five dimensions: equity, timeliness, adequacy, continuity, and progressiveness. Citizens expressed positive perceptions of the Buddhist-integrated approach in all aspects. (2) The comparison of perceptions showed that personal factors such as age, occupation, education level, and income significantly influenced views on service quality at the 0.05 level, except for gender, which showed no significant difference. (3) The proposed development approach for enhancing service quality under the framework of Buddhist integration emphasizes the application of the Four Sangahavatthu principles—generosity (dāna), kind speech (piyavācā), helpful conduct (atthacariyā), and impartiality (samānattatā)—in alignment with the five dimensions of public service. This approach fosters equity, transparency, attentiveness, and sustainability in public service delivery. Therefore, integrating Buddhist moral principles is not only an ethical approach but also a strategic tool for enhancing the quality of public administration, promoting efficiency with compassion, and fostering sustainable satisfaction, trust, and cooperation between the government and the public.