Abstract:
This study was conducted to examine the indigenous knowledge base and
indigenous knowledge management of communities. The studied area was at Amphoe
Bang Len, Nakhon Pathom. The research model was mixed in methodology.
The results showed that there were 38 wisdom holders at Bang Len, which
consisted of: 1) 10 wisdom holders in fields of handicraft and thai clothes (26.3%); 2)
10 wisdom holders in fields of art, culture and tradition (26.3%); 3) 8 wisdom holders
in fields of food and nutrition (21.1%); 4) 6 wisdom holders in fields of agriculture,
management and conservation of natural resources(15.8%) and 5) 4 wisdom holders
in fields of thai traditional medicine and herbs(10.5%). The experiments in 3
community learning centers covering 105 persons in the sample group by using the
t-test to compare the pre-test with post-test, it was discovered that learners in every
center gained higher knowledge and attitude significantly at a statistic test level
of 0.05 whereas the communities have been strongly involved in the indigenous
knowledge management.
According to the indigenous knowledge management of Amphoe Bang Len,
Nakhon Pathom, its knowledge cycle is comprised of 4 steps: 1) knowledge creation
and community knowledge acquisition; 2) knowledge storing in form of indigenous
knowledge database; 3) knowledge distribution by arranging environmental education
based indigenous knowledge sharing activities among community people through
community learning. and 4) knowledge application by applying the knowledge base
deriving from knowledge sharing to each area condition until it became the new
knowledge base of that community. The supporting factors were internal factors, e.g.
community organization structure, network, learning organization and community
resources; and external factor, e.g. involvements of persons outside the community,
supports from external organizations and supports from external scholars.