Operational Guidelines for the Sufficiency Economy Family Center Based on Royal Working Principles on the King’s Philosophy in Schools Under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office of Suratthani Chumphon

Abstract

The objectives of this research were: 1) study the operational conditions of Sufficiency Family Centers; 2) examine guidelines for operating Sufficiency Family Centers based on the King’s working principles under the Philosophy of Royal Initiatives; and 3) propose and evaluate such operational guidelines. The study employed a qualitative research methodology. The first phase involved studying the operational conditions through in-depth interviews with 15 stakeholders. The second phase explored operational guidelines through in-depth interviews with 5 experts. The third phase involved presenting and evaluating the guidelines through a focus group discussion with 7 experts. Data were analyzed using inductive analysis and focus group data analysis. The research findings revealed that: 1) The operational conditions of Sufficiency Family Centers across all five missions should begin with contextual analysis, followed by setting goals and indicators, and designing activities appropriate to the context. The process should emphasize participation from teachers, students, parents, communities, and network partners. It should focus on experiential learning, fostering morality, public-mindedness, and life skills, with a monitoring and evaluation system for continuous improvement and expansion. 2) The operational guidelines for Sufficiency Family Centers based on the King’s working principles under the Philosophy of Royal Initiatives consist of four key processes: 1) planning, 2) implementation, 3) monitoring and evaluation, and  4) improvement and development. Each stage integrates key principles, including the geo-social principle, the principle of participation, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, perseverance as illustrated in Phra Mahajanaka , and the principle of “Understand, Reach, and Develop.” These processes cover all five missions of the Sufficiency Family Center: 1) religion, culture, and the monarchy 2) environment 3) democracy 4) society and 5) economy. 3) The results of presenting and evaluating the operational guidelines indicated that all experts agreed that the guidelines are appropriate, feasible, and beneficial for practical implementation in operating Sufficiency Family Centers.