Communication of Buddhist Principles that Promote the Rule of Law in the Pasak Chonlasit Dam Project

Abstract

Background and Objectives: In modern society, many people view life as a struggle between personal gain and its impact on others, leading to ripple effects across society, including the workplace, family, and governance. These circumstances have contributed to increasing social conflicts, inequality, and challenges in maintaining justice and social harmony. Therefore, promoting moral values alongside legal principles has become increasingly important in addressing these issues and fostering sustainable social development. The rule of law, as envisioned by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), focuses on selecting Buddhist principles to develop individuals and address problems in various social contexts. His royal vision emphasized that legal principles should be accompanied by moral integrity, compassion, responsibility, and public-mindedness in order to achieve good governance and social peace. The integration of Buddhist teachings with the rule of law provides practical guidance for individual conduct as well as institutional and community development. This research aims to study: 1) the communication of Buddhist principles that promote the rule of law; and 2) the application of the rule of law in the Pa Sak Chonlasit Dam project, which serves as an example of applying the royal philosophy to promote effective governance, public participation, and sustainable resource management.
Methods: This is a qualitative research study using secondary data and content analysis, conducted according to the research objectives.
Results: The research findings indicate that the success of the Pa Sak Chonlasit Dam project stems from the fairness received by the people at every stage of its implementation. This dam serves as a case study reflecting how the rule of law is consistently integrated into His Majesty's working principles. His Majesty's approach employed the middle path, rationality, and the ability to manage risk. Comparing the three aspects of the project's success the implementation, the benefits to the local population, and the overall project achievement these three components are aligned, mutually reinforcing, and contribute to the sustainable development goals in all five areas.
Application of this study: The working methods of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej truly reflect the application of the rule of law. Through his work, he incorporated principles that promoted the rule of law a legal framework used to control and establish rules for people to live in society fairly. The principles he applied to the rule of law were integrated into his own "development goals."
Conclusions: His Majesty's working method employed the four Buddhist methods of communication to explain to the officials responsible for the project and the people affected by land expropriation in the dam construction area. The goal was sustainable development, fostering correct understanding through the principle of Yonisomanasikara (wise reflection) at the ethical level. The principles that promoted cooperation and unity were the Six Principles of Saraniya Dhamma and the Seven Principles of Aparihaniya Dhamma. His Majesty demonstrated exceptional ingenuity in integrating these principles into his work, demonstrating a democratic approach and achieving the five sustainable development goals.