Abstract:
The study entitled Development of Sustainable Prototype of the Welfare Card Project in Thai society, with the main objectives, i.e. 1.) to study the results of process of the Welfare Card Project, 2.) to study the factors associated with the sustainability of the Welfare Card Project, and 3) to develop the sustainable model of the Welfare Card Project. The mixed methodology research: quantitative and qualitative, were condocted in this study. For the quantitative research, the samples are 400 people drawn from 2 districts in Suphanburi Province and Sisaket Province. The collected data were analyzed by using the frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, whereas for the qualitative research, 20 state administrators from department and province are key informants. The collected data were analyzed by content analysis technique.
The findings of this study were concluded as follows:
1. The implementation of the State Welfare Card Project was found that this project promotes the improvement of the quality of life of low-income people who are registered with government agencies. It is considered as social welfare that the government has to implement for the people by the technique of helping financially with the use of prepaid cards. The sample group noticed that the State Welfare Card Project has contributed to a large extent in helping people with an average mean scoreof 4.15, it is considered beneficial for living in economic crisis.
2. With regard to factors related to the sustainability of the State Welfare Card Project, it was found that there were both policy factors aimed at solving poverty problems, distributing money into individuals and communities management, technology system being used and factors of low-income earners participating in the program such as appropriate spending including the factors of inclusion in the community having a welfare fund Government support related to the sustainability of the state welfare card program. This is consistent with the opinions of the sample who noted a high level of opinions with an average mean score of 4.14. At the same time, there were factors that may result in less sustainability such as the technology system in management of the government.
3. regarding to the development of the sustainable model of the welfare card project in Thai society, the study revealed that welfare card as the state mechanism to promote quality of life of the poors. It is social welfare scheme for peoples self-reliance by employing technology system run by the State. The important factors for creating sustainability of this project were categoried into four dimensions, namely, creating and supporting of emplyoment, career training, education, accessing the funding system and easy accessing to the basic necessities for developing quality of life. It was integred to resolve the poverty and reduce social and economical inequality between the poor and the rich. However, the government should solve the problems of social inequality systematically and developing the grassroots economy, equal society and environment management, leading to the real sustainable development.