Community Culture and Sustainable Development

Abstract

This article aims to present the community culture in order to reflect the roles of cultural dimensions for solving the developmental problems sustainably which is explained by the framework of community culture. It is divided into four stages of the birth of community culture in the followings: 1) before the Thailand revolution of 1932; 2) after the Thailand revolution of 1932-1957; 3)  the formation of the concept of community culture in decade of 1977-1997; 4) the concept of economy and Community culture as a parallel concept of modernization. The concept of community culture is a valuable resource of society. The state should reduce its roles and improve folk culture by increasing the roles of religion and international culture to mix each other. It is a complete development in psychological, community life, and environmental balance. Community cultural elements include the creation of folk technology, confidence in the villagers’ potential and folk wisdom which can make the villagers live happily and have stable sustainable development in the life of the community itself. The capitalist economic growth is the principle of development that is not based on self-sufficiency but it is primarily dependent on foreign countries. As well as being a development that lacks participation from the people causing problems of unsustainable and unbalanced development affect both economically, socially, culturally, and environmentally. Therefore, there is a review of the approach that will lead to sustainable development through development according to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy of His Majesty King Rama IX, including the development according to the concept of community culture and restoration of the self-reliant economy of production which will enable the community to exist independently and be able to resist external influences to take over. In addition, it resists the state power that attempts to intervene or take resources and products from the community. These are important forces to strengthen at the community and national level. The body of knowledge indicates that is an important factor that makes a strong community relies on culture as a tool to build community strength. By using the theme of the principle of generosity compliance with traditions and learn together in the wisdom of people in each community, applied to create confidence in the potential of the community cause happiness sustainable development.