Abstract:
The purpose of the study is to 1) examine the results of community development programs in Amphoe Kampangsaen, Changwat Nakhon Pathom , which is close to urban center of Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom, 2) to see whether there are differences in results of community development in different tambols in the same amphoe, and 3) if there are differences, the reasons for them. The author also wishes to know if community development activities in those areas reflect the felt needs of the community, and if villagers and village community workers have any problems concerning community worker have any problems concerning community development work. The results of the study will serve as guidelines for developing provinces near Bangkok. The author believes that in order to yield the most benefit and achieve the goals most efficiently, the community development workers must taken into account the social structure of community in which they work. Datas were collected by interviewing government officials concerned with community development programs in Amphoe Kampangsaen, member of village development committees of Nong Klang Village, Tambol Tung Luk Nok and Wang Nam Kiew Village, Tambol Tung Krapanghom, as well as 25 % of heads of household in each village. In addition, library materials related to community development were examined. All data were analysed and findings arranged in percentile tables. The results of the study show that the level of economic and social development in these two villages, even though they are in the same amphoe is very different, and that this different significantly effects the success of community development programs. Though the people in each village are interested in community development, the degree of interest varies, reflecting socioeconomic conditions and community needs. Most of the people in Nong Klang are not poor, so they are not interested in the small profit they believe they will gain from community development programs. The people in this village have large fields of sugarcane and some have transportation businesses which are very profitable. The expectations of the village are relatively high, but cannot be met by community development programs because of government budget limitations. This situation in turn, makes people think that the government does not seriously intend to develop; their community , and, as a consequence the village community workers loses interest and morale. In summary the community development programs that operated in this community are at a lower level than what the people believe they need, and therefore the success in the programs is very limited. This finding suggests that the method of community development should be closely related to the relative needs of different communities: a standard approach or model is imappropriate. But the community development programs in Wang Nam Kiew is successful and worth continuing. In this village, people are more interested and willing to take part in the community development programs than the people in the Nong Klang, possibly because of economic and social conditions of people in Wang Nam Kiew village are below those in Nong Klang. People in this village clearly require assistance. Their interest in community development is also high because agriculture is their occupation. Therefore what they receive from the community development programs is more consistent with their needs. However, in future, if this village reaches a level of development of Nong Klang, there may be problems if the methods and programs of community development are not reviewed and revised as local needs change.