Abstract:
This research aims to study the level of political participation, the understanding towards the direct election of the Mayor of the Sub-district Administrative Organization, and to study the factors affecting the political participation of residents residing in Klong Yai Sub-district, Leam Ngop district, Trad Province. The population of this research was 3,750 persons with voting rights named in the Notification of the Election Committee in Klong Yai Sub-district, Leam Ngop district, Trad Province. The data collection tool was the questionnaire The statistics used for data analysis were percentage, mean, Standard Deviation (S.D.), t-test and F-test
Research Result 1) In an overall picture, the level of the political participation of persons in Klong Yai Sub-district, Leam Ngop district, Trad Province was at the moderate level ( = 2.87). Considering each item ranging from the first to the last items, the first range was Item Recommendations on village problems to members of the Sub-district Administrative Organization ( = 3.27) and the last one was Item 13. The participation in the inspection on the elderly stipend in the Sub-district ( = 2.82). 2) Understanding in the direct election of the Mayor of the Sub-district Administrative Organization was at the moderate level ( = 0.80) Considering each item ranging from the first to last items, the first range was Item 10. Persons eligible to apply for the direct election of the Mayor of the Sub-district Administrative Organization shall be the member of the political party ( = 0.99) and the last one was Item 8. The Mayor of the Sub-district Administrative Organization shall be over the age of 35 years on the election date ( = 0.58). 3) The factors affecting the participation of persons with voting rights in Klong Yai Sub-district, Leam Ngop district, Trad Province. Persons with different genders had different participation levels, news received, understanding in the direct election of the Mayor had no difference in the participation level. And Persons with different ages, education levels, occupations, incomes, experiences in exercising voting rights at the significant level of .05.