PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2021) 58(1): 1733-1737 ISSN: 00333077 Empowering Volunteer Spirit through The King's Philosophy to Solve Problems in Community: A Case Study of Volunteer Spirit Group in Phutthamonthon, Nakhonchaisri, and Sam Phran District Nakhon Pathom* Province. Somchai Saenphumi1, Worachet Tho-un2 1Mahamakut Buddhist University,2Mahamakut Buddhist University Email:[email protected],2 [email protected]. ABSTRACT This research article aims to study, analyze, and develop community capacity to empower communities and prevent social problems in Nakhonpathom province. This work is qualitative research and uses documentary research to create training prototypes and focus groups among sample groups or key informants. This is a group of volunteers' spirits, Phutthamonthon, Nakhonchaisri Samphran district totaling 34 people to be aware of the community's problems. The study results showed that the training model obtained from the document's synthesis and processing consisted of the volunteer concept, The King's philosophy, the concept of community empowerment. After that, the focus groups found that the volunteer spirit group in the Phutthamonthon district voted that the garbage problem was the biggest, consistent with the volunteer spirit in Samphran district. Both groups propose a waste separation campaign, support equipment from government agencies, educators. In contrast, the Nakhonchaisri district volunteer spirit group resolved that the problem of invasion of the Tha-chin river was the most important. Moreover, proposed state legislation to create a group to negotiate seriously with the government and put pressure on those who transgress the river, including the media as a tool of pressure. Finally, by training the model with a volunteer group, they will understand the problems in their communities and formulate groups to solve problems in the community through volunteer activities. Keywords Empowering, Volunteers Spirit, The King's Philosophy, Community Potential Article Received: 10 August 2020, Revised: 25 October 2020, Accepted: 18 November 2020 Introduction and developing in line with the government policy and the 20-year national strategy in the fourth issue on security. Under the present Thai society context, it focuses on Section 4.2 emphasizes the application of The King's material prosperity according to capitalism, economic philosophy. Along with the introduction of Dhamma for growth, and technological advancement. This causes Thai unity, which means unity, unity, satisfaction with one society to become highly competitive, leading to social another. To develop community co-operation to strengthen inequality and social problems. Under such circumstances, it the community to have co-operation to prevent such dramatically affects Thai people's way of life, such as problems sustainably. This will benefit the most people in having material values and pursuing personal interests more Nakhon Pathom and can use this format to be disseminated than the public. Doing for the public, which is a gap that for development and application in other areas. causes many social problems such as drug addiction, community non-waste separation problem, river intrusion Objective problem [1] The public sector under the volunteer spirit group Analyze, and develop community capacity to empower (Klumčhitʻāsā) in Nakhon Pathom Province has begun to communities and prevent social problems in Nakhonpathom play a more significant role in organizing social activities. In province. particular, the volunteer spirit group in Phutthamonthon District has about 2,500 members, the Nakhon Chai Si Methods district volunteer spirit group has approximately 2,000 members, and the Sam Phran district volunteer spirit group This study is qualitative research, finding data from has approximately 1,800 members. It is an essential group of documentary research, and collecting data through a focus people who can add skills to organize activities to empower group. Key informants from using purposive sampling to the community and the community's problems. The depth information. The researchers have identified the researchers are interested in studying to empower the people involved in the volunteer spirit activities and conduct community by building community empowerment tools by them regularly. The volunteer spirit groups are included in creating a volunteer model to develop community potential each district as follows: volunteer spirit, Phutthamonthon through volunteer networks in the area. The researchers will District 15 people, Nakhon Chai Si District 10 people, Sam apply the concept of community empowerment and Phran District 9 people, total of 34 people. volunteerism to strengthen co-operation with the community through the King's philosophy of understanding, connecting, 1733 www.psychologyandeducation.net PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION (2021) 58(1): 1733-1737 ISSN: 00333077 Concepts for training volunteer spirit groups. dissolve the "silence culture" first. To provide villagers opportunities to think, analyze, and speak through Informal Community empowerment. Many scholars have focused on small-scale dialogue or "cultural groups" activities. To "Community empowerment," such as the work of Paulo provide a platform for community members to exchange Freire[2] describes community empowerment as the process ideas fully. This activity will be an important factor in by which people in the community or villagers are involved. creating creativity. It also resulted in the villagers to gain (Which is held in a state of silence and despair) gathered more confidence and raise their "conscience" level. [2, pp. through dialogue and praxis to form a "consciousness." 38-39] Formed the foundation of change for the release of bondage The King's philosophy is a science that arises following the to meaningful and well-being. Better than before. While principles of work, understanding, Connecting, and Saul D. Alinsky [3] viewed that the process by which the developing King Rama IX that he applies to people, have-nots realized mutual benefits resulted in the exchange material, society, environment, and culture. The tool has of knowledge through the establishment of the positive been used in many royal projects that comprise a variety of power of empowerment. Movements and changes aimed at ideas. [7, pp. 543-546] The researchers chose the volunteer restoring the dignity and dignity of humanity, justice, and spirit group's appropriate principles, the "Understanding, resource distribution. In addition, Glenn Laverack [4, p. 20] Connecting, and Developing" work principles. [8, p. 205] mentions the rendering of community energy as a process by Understanding is understanding problems that exist. which communities create something of value and character Whether it is understood through personal experience and that gives them the power to shape their destiny and give research and being prudent and careful in obtaining accurate them the power to shape their lives. It has a precise aim to information can lead to a correction. The use of empirical change society and politics by driving changes in public data is the understanding of various statistical data. For policy, making decisions of the state, and distributing example, population, number of households, analytics, and resources. On the other hand, Jim Ife [5, pp. 67-68] sees it as research can draw academic or government agencies to join a process of the disadvantaged to challenge or change the research with the community or volunteer spirit group to central discourse to lead the struggle for liberation, growth, bring academic principles to understand problems and and freedom from disadvantaged experiences. This concept propose development or solution solutions. Experiment till is not a form of "Power-over," but rather a concept of actionable results are to do it repeatedly and take the lessons "Power to" and "Power-with."[6] down and build a model. Tools for community empowerment. The idea that the Connecting is inside-out blasting. People or groups community's power from these scholars on the above, the of volunteer spirit must have the intention to develop investigators have chosen to bring the tool to empower themselves first. They are not waiting for the development communities of Paulo Freire used as his study of the of government policy only. Understand target is the needs of oppressed and to establish the power of the people. the community that they want to solve any problems. If the Oppressed, which in the present context is the countryside problem is too big, the volunteer spirit group Can reflect the itself. Freire explains that the problem of suppression comes problem to anyone or any agency as for the problems that from a silent culture and bank education. It creates a state of can be achieved, solutions Because the volunteer spirit helplessness of the oppressed arising from the condition of group is the individual or target group, Educate the use of humiliation and dehumanization. With oppressors taking easy-to-understand language to communicate with the away the poor's humanity, these people did not dare to volunteer spirit people or group. To create understanding retaliate because the state of "Fear of freedom" was always and awareness of problems that must be resolved together. comparable. These birds do not have to go for their food but Development must start with Self-initiated a volunteer spirit will be brought by someone. The wings are weak because group must not coerce others to join the development