Abstract:
The purposes of this research were to study the impact of the urban growth on the strength of the family and strategies for strengthening the family structure.
This research employed a qualitative design. The main instruments used in collecting data included an in-depth interview and a non participatory observation . The informants consisted of the residents who have been staying in Patong for over thirty years which consisted of former heads of villages, retired government officials, teachers, community seniors, religious leaders, community leaders, and representatives of the residents.
The study revealed that there were five aspects affected by the growth of the Patong Municipality. Family relationship aspect: Members of the family had less activities together, however, they listened to each other more. Children have been taken care of more than the elderly people in the family. Self- dependence aspect: There were three areas as follows: a) economic area: Most residents have changed their occupations from agriculture to tourism and services and increased their job opportunities. Meanwhile, the residents have obtained more debts due to over consumption , and dependence on business and material. b) health area: Patong residents became more aware of basic health care, exercises, and more accessible to health services. C) information area: Many people received more information from various sources, and gained higher education. However, they still lacked the opportunity to develop themselves in using technology more effectively. Social cost aspect: The number of Patong residents who participated in social activities became less. For Buddhists, old people went to make merit at the Buddhist temples regularly, while the adult Muslims were found to become more religious. The Buddhist temples were still used for religious purposes, while the mosques were employed as a place for worship and social activities. Adaptation aspect: Many people felt less safe and decreased their trust to their neighbors in the community. However, they could be able to adapt themselves well in a new situation. When they had problems, they usually consulted with other members in the family, relatives and friends. However, there were some people who found it difficult to adapt themselves to the changes. Avoiding and managing risks aspect: It was found that almost every one had a risk in his/her daily life including loss of property and life, gambling, cigarettes, drugs, and family problems.
The researcher proposed the following strategies to strengthen the family structure in Patong: 1. Starting the Family: People should start their family by choosing good partners, and prepare themselves to be good parents. Parents should raise children according to their development and provide them with good education. Besides this, parents should act as good models for their children and teach them how to live their lives in a sustainable way. 2. Maintaining the Strong Family: The members of the family should build strong relationships within the family. They should spend time together in doing activities and talking to each other. Each person should be aware of his/her responsibility for the family. The family members should encourage each other and give advice if any member was doing inappropriate things. Moreover, people should apply the teachings of their religions to their daily lives. Lastly, people should be interested in maintaining good health.