COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN REDUCING LIVING EXPENSES USED FOR CEMETERY CEREMONY IN RONG PLA KLAO VILLAGE, NANG LAE SUB-DISTRICT, MUANG DISTRICT, CHIANGRAI PROVINCE

Abstract

           Based on the qualitative research, the primary purpose of this research aimed to investigate the community’s participation in reducing their living expenses used for cemetery ceremonies in Rong Pla Klao Village, Nang Lae Sub-district, Muang District, Chiangrai Province. For research methodology, a community’s observation checklist, an in-depth interview, a focus group discussion, and an observation checklist were all conducted with 25 village committees, monks, and elderlies. Also, content analysis was used to collect the data. The findings of the research revealed that the communities’ participation in reducing living expenses used for their cemetery ceremony was divided into two significant levels: 1) In terms of their community level, it was stated that not only should the community’s regulations and guidelines for cemetery ceremony management be set up, but the reduction of living expenses used for cemetery ceremonies was also needed, and 2) In terms of their group and individual levels, it showed that the different groups’ participation in establishing their official and unofficial charity clubs served for their community’s public services was mostly required for assisting the cemetery ceremony hosts’ labor and financial supports.