Political Communication of Local Politicians in the Pho Prathap Chang Subdistrict Municipality, Pho Prathap Chang District, Phichit Province according to the 4 S Buddhist principles

Abstract

The purposes of this research article were 1) to study the level of political communication; 2) to analyze the relationship between the 4S Buddhist principles and the political communication of local politicians in Pho Prathap Chang Subdistrict Municipality; and 3) to propose guidelines for political communication. This research was a mixed-methods research. For quantitative research, it involved a questionnaire survey collecting data from a sample of 379 people. Descriptive statistics, including percentages, means, and standard deviations, were used to analyze the data. Inferential statistics, specifically Pearson correlation coefficients, were used to test the hypotheses. The qualitative research component involved in-depth interviews with 17 key informants. The results were analyzed using content analysis techniques. The research was conducted from November 2024 to April 2025, during which time the Pho Prathap Chang Subdistrict Municipality administration was in place. The research findings revealed that 1) the level of political communication of local politicians was high (= 3.70, S.D. = 0.72). The level of political communication of local politicians according to David K. Berlo's SMCR theory was also high ( = 3.64, S.D. = 0.67); 2) the relationship of political communication was very high (R = 0.808**); 3) guidelines for promoting and developing political communication included: S (Source): the sender must have a deep understanding of the area, history, group of individuals, and culture of the community; M (Message): the information to be communicated must be accurate, factually correct, verifiable, credible, neutral, and verified before publication; C (Channel): the channels for disseminating information must be easily accessible, appropriate, diverse (both online and offline), cover all target groups, be fast, and timely; R (Receiver): for the recipient group, It was necessary to verify the source and accuracy, select only information from reliable sources, and avoid making hasty judgments before receiving all the information.