Political Communication via Social Media Networks of Citizens in Nakhon Sawan City Municipality, Nakhon Sawan Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were 1) to study the level of political communication via social media network of citizens in  Nakhon Sawan City Municipality, Nakhon Sawan Province; 2) to compare the level of political communication via social media network of citizens in Nakhon Sawan City Municipality, Nakhon Sawan Province, classified by personal factors; and 3) to examine guidelines for applying Bala 4 to political communication via social media network of citizens in Nakhon Sawan City Municipality, Nakhon Sawan Province. This study was a mixed-methods research. Quantitative data were collected from a sample of 398 citizens in Nakhon Sawan City Municipality using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and F-test. Qualitative data were collected from 17 key informants selected through purposive sampling using a structured interview form; data were analyzed through inductive summarization and interpretation. The research findings revealed that 1) political communication via social media network of citizens in Nakhon Sawan City Municipality, Nakhon Sawan Province, was overall at a high level (= 3.73, S.D. = 0.15); 2) citizens with different genders, ages, education levels, and occupations held significantly different opinions regarding the level of political communication via social media network at the .05 significance level; and 3) guidelines for applying Bala 4 to political communication via social media network consisted of 3.1) Panya-bala: we should encourage the use of wisdom to carefully consider, analyze, and verify information before disseminating it; 3.2) Viriya-bala: efforts to stay informed should be encouraged, and communication methods should be developed to be creative and appropriate; 3.3) Anavajja-bala: communication characterized by honesty and responsibility should be encouraged, while the distortion of information should be avoided; and 3.4) Sangaha-bala: communication that fostered cooperation, unity, and public participation in society should be promoted.