Paper accepted for presentation at International Conference
Future Imperatives of Communication and Information for
Development and Social Change
Bangkok, December 20-22, 2010.
http://www.jcconference.co.cc/.It
This conference is jointly coordinated by the Faculty of Journalism and Mass
Communication at Thammasat University; the Department of Communication at the
University of Nagasaki; and the Center ‘Communication for Sustainable Social
Change’ (CSSC) at UMass Amherst. The conference forms part of a series of
preparatory and inter-connected conferences, coordinated by ORBICOM-UNESCO
Chairs in Communication, across the regions of the world to focus the attention of the
most experienced and innovative information and communication scholars,
practitioners and policy-makers on the new challenges towards world development
and sustainability.
Synergy of ‘Gross National Happiness’ and ‘Sufficiency Economy’ as an
Imperative Paradigm for Communication and Sustainable Social Change
Boonlert Supadhiloke, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Researcher
Graduate School
Bangkok University
Rama 4 Rd, Klong-Tuey
Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Email: [email protected]
Introduction
The world community has been recently hard hit by a series of international
events and crises notably the global financial crisis, the 911 terrorist attacks on the
USA, climate change and pandemics. Such unfortunate incidents have undoubtedly
dealt a severe blow to the development efforts all over the world. It is imperative that
nations across regions join hands to come up with right strategies and tactics to tackle
these formidable problems.
The Happy Planet Index (HPI) may be cited as a good example of
achievement in the new direction of national development through international
cooperation. HPI marked a shift in the development paradigm from economic growth
to human well-being or human development index in the wake of the global financial
crisis.
In line with HPI, some developing countries have embarked on their own
initiatives to gear up development efforts towards set goals. The Buddhist Kingdoms
of Thailand and Bhutan have set a milestone in the development history with the
implementation of the Sufficiency Economy and Gross National Happiness. The two
Asian countries have some unique characteristics in common that reflect in the new
development approach.
I.
The purpose of this study is two-fold:
1. To analyze and synthesize the Gross National Happiness and Sufficiency
Economy systems as an alternative development model to achieve the goal of human
well-being.
2. To examine the function of development communication and map out an
imperative development communication model for human happiness which may be
tried out across cultures.
Methodologically, the study is based mainly on analysis of secondary data
from various sources, particularly research reports official and legal documents,
articles, periodicals and newspapers. In addition, case studies had been conducted
based on personal observation and field works to illustrate the function of
communication in the spiritual development process.
II. Gross National Happiness and Sufficiency Economy: A Cross-cultural
Analysis
Except for the geographical areas and sizes, Bhutan and Thailand share some
unique characteristics. Both Asian countries have long been made under the
monarchy and Buddhism as a national religion which exerted a strong influence in the
development of the Gross National Happiness (G.N.H.) and Sufficiency Economy
(SE) philosophy.
Bhutan is a small landlocked country high in the Himalayan Mountain. Over
half a million people live in this tiny kingdom, squeezed between the world’s most
populous countries, India and China.
The tiny Himalayan Kingdom has been under the Wangchuk dynasty since
1907 with Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck being the first king. Jigme Dorji Wangchuck,
the third king, was highly credited for leading the nation to modernization and
upgrading a high standard of living for the people. He was named the Father of
Modern Bhutan.
However, it was the fourth king, Jigme Singye Namgyal Wangchuck, who
conceived the notion of Gross National Happiness (G.N.H.). He succeeded to the
throne on June 2, 1974 and in the late 1970s, introduced G.N.H. as an alternative to
the Gross National Product (GNP).
During that time, several industrialized countries had been hard hit by a global
economic crisis and GNP was considered to be a “broken promise”. As Prime
Minister Jigme Thinley of Bhutan said, “Greed, insatiable human greed is the cause of
today’s economic catastrophe in the world,” (N.Y. Times, May 6, 2009). G.N.H. was
seen as a good change from the economic-based GNP.
Under the new constitution adopted in 2008, government programs - --from
agriculture and transportation to foreign trade --- must be judged not by the economic
benefits they might offer but by the happiness they product in the tiny mountainous
kingdom of Bhutan.
In short, the people-centered development and the theme of “One Nation, One
People,” laid the foundation for the G.N.H. concept during the reign of the fourth
king.
King Jigme Sigye Wangchuck was so popular and well loved by his people
that he was named “King of People.” He set milestones in the Bhutanese history. On
December 17, 2005, a national day, the king announced to step back from power and
gave the throne to his son, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who was crowned in
November in the new role of constitutional monarch without executive power. The
move came as a shock and against the will of his beloved citizens.
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The Bhutanese produced an intricate model of well-being that featured the
four pillars, the nine domains and the 72 indicators of happiness.
Specifically, the government has determined that the four pillars of a happy
society involve the economy, culture, the environment and good governance. It
breaks these into nine domains:
1) Psychological or emotional well-being
2) Standard of living
3) Health of an individual
4) Education
5) Eco-system diversity and vitality (ecology)
6) Cultural diversity and vitality
7) Time use and balance
8) Community vitality
9) Good governance
Sufficiency Economy Philosophy
The Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy was originally conceived in 1974,
almost the same time as G.N.H.. However, it was not until 1997 that the Philosophy
has become widely publicized when the world community encountered a severe
financial crisis and Thailand had to devalue its currency and obtained loans from the
International Monetary Fund (IMF). His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej
mentioned a remedial process in his address on the eve of his birthday anniversary on
December 4, 1997:
“Recently, so many projects have been implemented, so many factories have
been built, that it was thought Thailand would become a little tiger and then a big
tiger. People were crazy about becoming a tiger.
Being a tiger is not important. The important thing for us is to have a
sufficient economy. A sufficient economy means to have enough to support
ourselves.
A careful step backward must be taken. A return to less sophisticated methods
must be made with less advanced instruments. However, it is a step backward in
order to make further progress.” (as cited in Government Public Relations
Department, 2007, pp. 101-102).
Later, in his royal speech on December 4, 1998, His Majesty clarified the
Sufficiency Economy Philosophy:
“This ‘sufficiency’ means a ‘sufficiency economy.’ It is satisfactory if each
individual has enough to live on, but it is even better if the entire country has enough
to live on.
We in Thailand used to be sufficient. Now, it is free to be insufficient.
Therefore, it is a policy to adopt a sufficiency economy so that everyone has enough
to live on. Sufficiency means to lead a reasonably comfortable life, without excess or
overindulgence in luxury but having enough.” (as cited in Government Public
Relations Department, 2007, p. 102).
His Majesty also explained that Sufficiency Economy differs from the English
term “self-sufficiency”:
“Self-sufficiency means producing enough for one’s own need, without having
to borrow anything from others, or as they say, standing on one’s own feet. But the
Sufficiency Economy concept is much broader than that. Sufficiency is moderation.
If one is moderate in one’s desires, one will take less advantage of others.
If all nations hold this concept, without being extreme or insatiable in one’s desires,
the world will be a happier place.’
Being moderate does not mean to be too strictly frugal: luxurious items are
permissible, but one should not take advantage of others in the fulfillment of one’s
desires. Moderation, in other words, living within one’s means, should dictate all
actions. Act in moderation, speak in moderation that is, be moderate in all activities.
Therefore, sufficiency means moderation and reasonableness.” (as cited in
Government Public Relations Department, 2007, pp. 102 – 103).
The Office of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in its
Thailand Human Development Report 2007 hailed the Sufficiency Economy as a
valid approach to development because it offers a way to avoid “growth that is
jobless, ruthless, voiceless, rootless and futureless” as well as “mindless growth –
where the path of growth adds nothing to the mental and spiritual capabilities of
people.” The report concludes:
“The Sufficiency Economy offers a way to avoid mindless growth through
application of a set of principles which can seem disarmingly simple, but which are
rooted in observation of the real world, and underwritten by humanist theory. The
appeal of the approach is that the principles are easy to grasp, but the daunting fact is
that the application demands high standards of commitment and integrity. But then, if
development were easy –“(as cited in Government Public Relations Department,
2007, p. 103).
Finally, His Majesty spelled out the clear meaning of the Sufficiency
Economy Philosophy in 1999 as follows:
“Sufficiency Economy is the Philosophy that addresses the way of living and
practice of the public in general from the family unit and the community, to the
national level, in development and management of the country towards the middle
path especially in developing the economy to keep up with the world in the era of
globalization. The word “Sufficiency” means moderation and reasonableness
including the need to have self-immunity to be ready against any internal and external
shocks. In addition, the application of theories in planning and implementation
requires great care and good judgment at every stage. At the same time, all members
of the nation, especially officials, intellectuals, and business people, need to develop
their commitment to the importance of knowledge, ethical, integrity, and honesty to
conduct their lives with perseverance, toleration, Sati and Pañña, and precaution so
that the country has the strength and balance to respond to rapid and widespread
changes materialistically, socially, environmentally, and culturally from the outside
world.” (as cited in NESAC, 2007, p.5).
The above definition can be explained in the form of a system analysis as
shown in the following chart:
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Chart I: A System Analysis of Sufficiency Economy
As shown in the chart, the development direction in Sufficiency Economy
emphasizes self-reliance, with the aim to utilize local resources as much as possible,
while not damaging existing natural resources and the environment. It should
regenerate resources and environment or enhance all forms of capitals including
human capital which comprises perseverance, capability, Sati and Pañña, and mind
development; the social capital which is made up of generosity and willingness to
assist and honesty leading to the collaboration for the benefits for oneself and the
society; and the physical capital which includes financial capital, machines, and
equipments and various technologies. In order to achieve such situation it would
require the society to be without too much greed or selfishness that would allow
everyone to live in moderation, that is to have enough to live for and to live on, or
having the sufficient means to survive. Also citizens of the society must be aware and
take the precaution in all of their decisions. All these efforts would help build selfimmunity, especially in developing the nation where the development must be carried
out in step and with the use of appropriate technical knowledge at every level
(NESAC, 2007, p.5).
To sum up, in the social system, ethical integrity and knowledge serve as the
input of the system. Reasonableness, moderation and self-immunity serve as the
process. Balanced economic, social, cultural and environmental development for
stability and sustainability serve as the output of the system. Happiness is the
outcome that takes place at all levels of the total system. Finally, its impact is
wellness for all (NESAC, 2007, p.1).
As in the case of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness, questions have been
raised about the measurement of Sufficiency Economy. It can be clearly seen from
the chart that the outcome of Sufficiency Economy, Happiness, can occur at all levels
of the holistic system, from an individual, family, community, organization to society,
nation and the world. Attempts have been made to formulate sets of indicators for
Sufficiency Economy at various levels. Noteworthy is a pioneer by a Research Team
under the Office of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council (NESAC)
who constructed the set of indicators based on the Philosophy of Sufficiency
Economy in order to evaluate the macro-performance of the Thai government,
beginning form 2005. In the process, the group of researchers breaks down the
conceptual framework into eight domains or dimensions as following (NESAC, 2007,
p.17):
1) Economic,
2) Ethical and cultural,
3) Social
4) Education,
5) Management of the public sector,
6) Management of the private sector,
7) Science and technology, and
8) Resource and environment
Each dimension contains a set of items or indicators which are later combined
into a composite weighted Sufficiency Economy Index. For details, see Formulation
and Evaluation of Sufficiency Economy Indicators and the Economic and Social
Report on the National Performance in the Direction of Sufficiency Economy by
NESAC (2007).
III. Synergy Paradigm of Human Communication and Happiness
The preceding analysis of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness and Thailand’s
Sufficiency Economy clearly indicated that the national development paradigm has
shifted its goal from Gross Domestic Product or GDP to Gross National Happiness
(G.N.H.) or Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH) which has been in line with the Happy
Planet Index (HPI). This paradigm shift is significant in that the index of
development is not mainly based on economic foundation but other factors like
psychological well-being, environmental use, human and socio-cultural capitals and
good governance.
A close examination of both G.N.H. and SE revealed one missing component
which is quite essential in any development models.
This is a “human
communication” factor which has not been explicitly spelled out in the Bhutanese and
Thai models, although it may be implicitly assumed in the processes.
It is the basic assumption that the shift of development goal from material
growth to spiritual or mental growth would not be achieved unless the root cause of
the problem has been tackled. That root case of the world’s economic catastrophe has
been earlier spelled out by the Prime Minister of Bhutan as “greed, insatiable human
greed.” Sufficiency Economy is based on Buddhism’s Noble Eightfold Path
(Ariyamagga) or the middle path toward the goal of perpetual happiness. To reach
the goal, all human beings must strive to free themselves from such defilement or
Kilesa as craving anger and illusion - all causes of mental suffering. It is quite
interesting that the Noble Eightfold Path has been spelled out the concept of
communication known as the right sppech or Sammavaca which has been interpreted
to be closely related to teh right to communicate as a basic human right (Supadhiloke,
2007, p.325). Thus, from Buddhism’s perspective, communication is quite essential
as an instrument to reach the goal of happiness in life. It is imperative to integrate
communication in the synergy paradigm for study of Sufficiency Economy and
Happiness. It may be named the “right communication,” instead of the right speech.
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In Buddhism, the right speech or right communication is a broad term and a
multi-dimension. At this juncture, it suffices to explicate the concept as a basic
human right to indicate an individual’s freedom of expression (Sammavaca basically
means speaking) and freedom of information (the right path emphasizes knowledge
and enlightment). Of particular importance, Buddhism’s Five Precepts spells out one
element: not to lie or to tell the truth. Truthfulness has become an ethical value
among Thai journalists and general public as a way of life. Moreover, the right
communication can be seen to encompass cultural values and associations; Thailand
has been characterized by foreign expects as collectivism (Hofstede, 2001, p.215) and
high-context communication (Hall, 1976, p. 98).
In this regard, such a Thai proverb saying that “silence is gold” may be
interpreted that Thai people uphold the right to privacy and social harmony or social
reconciliation. In short, Buddhism’s right speech may be interpreted to denote both
the knowledge or wisdom and ethic dimensions which are considered as basic human
capital. It is logical to assume that the right to communicate is one dimension of
“human capital” that might be taken as an input variable in the Sufficiency Economy
system.
It is noteworthy here that the concept of communication has been so far
explicated as a dimension of the overall domain of “social capital” by the Ministry of
Social Development and Human Security (2005, p.7). In its official report on
Formulation of Social Capital’s Indicators, the ministry states that Thailand’s social
capital contains six dimensions:
1) Groups and networks,
2) Trust and solidarity,
3) Collective action and cooperation,
4) Information and communication,
5) Social cohesion and inclusion, and
6) Empowerment and political action
According to the report (2005, p.10), the information and communication
dimension is composed of 7 indicators:
1) Frequency f exposure to information from a community broadcasting
tower,
2) Frequency of exposure to information from radio,
3) Frequency of exposure to information from newspaper,
4) Trust about data from government media,
5) Trust about data from private media,
6) Trust about human media, and
7) Communication through telephone during last month
However, in the survey using frequencies of exposures to the mass media and
accuses to various news sources as indicators, the ministry (2005, pp. 31 - 45) did not
find the instruments valid and information and communication cropped from the
social capital domain.
Another shortcoming lies in the limited application of a system approach to
Sufficiency Economy. As shown in the chart, the model depicts the mutually
dependent relationships between input, process, output and outcome variables
regarding sufficiency economy with peace and tranquility for all living things as the
ultimate goal. However, the model tends to be a linear, one-way process from an
input to the outcome and a relatively closed system without clear-cut interaction with
its environments. What is lacking as a “feedback” loop form the outcome to the
output, process and input which will make it a more dynamic and circular systems
model. From the systems perspective, feedback is an essential element in the
“cybernetic model” which normally comprises output-input-feedback-adjustment selfregulation process (Buckley, 1967).
Feedback is generally known as a
communication mechanism that can take place at various stages of the process and
helps the model make correction and adjustment to meet the established goal.
Therefore, it is imperative that communication be integrated into the
Sufficiency Economy System to make it more effective and sustainable. A social
process, communication may be viewed as a sub-system within the whole system; it
may be part of human capital input as well as the feedback process to facilitate the
attainment of the goal of human happiness.
IV. Case Studies
The following case studios are designed to illustrate the potential of
communication in the implementation of Sufficiency Economy and Gross National
Happiness. Although communication has not been explicitly integrated in the two
development systems, it was found implicitly inherent in the development
implementation and, in many cases, fared satisfactorily to help achieve the
development goal.
The first two cases are intended to present both the qualitative and quantitative
analyses of communication functions in the Sufficiency Economy related projects
while the third case presents an empirical evidence of communication effects in the
G.N.H. community.
Case 1: Integrated Agricultural Farming
This case study took place at Ban Trok Fai Mai, Klaeng District of Rayong
Province where the local people were led to apply the Sufficiency Economy
Philosophy to the Integrated Agricultural Farming. The right communication, in this
case, focuses on the communicator or opinion leader who has been well oriented by
Buddhism’s teaching and practice. The participatory communication lines in the twoway interaction process between opinion leader and followers within the folk cultural
context, combined with conventional local media. The case also plays up a network
of interpersonal communication and information exchange within and between
communities.
The opinion leader of the community, named Mr. Arh Promethaisong, is quite
unique and outstanding in that he had been addicted to smoking, drinking, gambling
and other social evils before becoming an accomplished communicator. His lifestyle
came to a change when one day he was taken to stay at the Asoke community in
Nakorn Prathom province, north of Bangkok. Arh stayed at the Asoke community for
four months and four days, undergoing a series of extensive orientation courses and
training programs. After completion of the training courses, he returned to work at
his own community.
“Before our departure from the Asoke community, we were asked to sit down
before the picture of His Majesty the King and pledged that we would be loyal to and
do good things for our society,” Arh said on March 18, 2008.
It is noteworthy here that Asoke communities were among a few communities
throughout Thailand that have strong indigenous culture and have adopted a firm
stand against capitalism and consumerism. As a result, they did not fall prey to the
effect of the 1997 financial crisis.
The Asoke community came into existence after the year 1975 when its
founder, Phra Photirak or Samana Photirak, a former accomplished television
8
program producer, entered the monkhood at Wat Asokaram Temple, Samutprakarn
Province. As a disciplined and self-restrained person, he has commanded great
respect from numerous people, both monks and ordinary persons. The Asoke
community has been expanded into networks throughout Thailand (Sataranapoki,
2007).
The network of Asoke communities has observed the simplest form of living.
Being vegetarians, they are very disciplined and adhere to the Five Precepts of
Buddhism: (1) abstain from taking life, (2) abstain from stealing, (3) abstain from
sexual misconduct, (4) abstain from false speech, and (5) abstain from intoxicants that
cloud the mind. They have followed a self-reliant mode of existence which requires
only a small amount of investments, based on local resources and socio-cultural
capitals without incurring any external debt (Sarn Asoke, 305, 2007). The Asoke
community based their way of life on the integration of three components: home,
temple (religious organization) and school; they have also operated their own network
of mass media and internets as channels to communicate with their members and
publicize their activities. The Sufficiency Economy Philosophy has been integrated
into their self-reliant mode of living and being implemented in many parts of the
country, for example, Ubol Ratchathani province (Sarn Asoke, 305, 2007, pp. 95-99).
1
During his study at the Asoke community, Mr. Arh Promethaisong has
learned a great deal about Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and put it into practice
after returning to his own community. He began his new life as a small farmer,
engaged in an integrated farming of rice, vegetable, fishing and raising pig and
poultry. Based on the principles of moderation and reasonableness, he used all
existing local resources and folk wisdom in farming. For example, he made use of
locally produced organic fertilizers, instead of chemical fertilizers, and raised pigs by
waste rice and vegetables.
Having been a successful farmer, Arh has become a community leader as well
as a change agent who had to convince other fellows to adopt the practice of
sufficiency economy. This is tantamount to empowerment of local people. Arh first
formed a core group of community leaders who later secured participation of
community fellows through a series of meetings, discussions, exchange of ideas,
trainings, organization of demonstrations and social events and other community
activities etc. Usually, Arh and his core group held regular meetings and discussions
at a simple public place, called Sala Thai, where one can also observe the picture of
His Majesty the King as a source of spiritual inspiration and a symbol of unity. In
addition, he often held a series of demonstrations, trainings and observation tours at
his own farms and house so that visitors could see by themselves the output and
outcome of the sufficiency economy applications.
“Our job is really a frightful sweat. With His Majesty the King as our spiritual
symbol and role model, we were not discouraged and were determined to succeed.
Sufficiency economy is the right answer in our community.” Said Arh and his core
group at the meeting on March 18, 2008.
Another interesting aspect of participatory communication is a network of
interpersonal communication channels at the community level. Since he is a member
of the Asoke community in Nakorn Prathom, Arh has become a “bridge” with other
Asoke networks throughout the country. At the same time, with his sociable character
and communication skills, Arh has also established a close “liaison” with many other
* This case is adapted from a paper presented at the Participatory Communication Research Section,
the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference on
Media and Global Divides, Stockholm, Sweden, July 20-25, 2008
community networks, for example, the Youth Group for Khao Chamao Environment
Conservation and the nearby Saving Group. This web of local networks is important
in Thai culture for the transfer of folk wisdom and knowledge in the participatory
development process.
Another unique characteristic of the participatory communication at this
community is the existence of community broadcasting known as Broadcast Tower
and Community Radio. Although they remain under the control of some community
leaders and do not really reflect the voices of the grassroots, both Broadcast Tower
and Community Radio play a significant role in the community-building process, as
said by the core leader, Mr. Arh on March 18, 2008.
Case 2: Moderation Society of the Youth
The second case study is concerned with the networking of the youth known
as the “moderation society” or MOSO. Following the philosophy of Sufficiency
Economy, the government agency has come up with the idea to cultivate “sustainable
thinking” among Thai youths based on the three concepts of moderation,
reasonableness and self-immunity. The website has been set up to spearhead the idea
and coordinate the networks of the youths MOSO (www.mosothai.com). At this
juncture, it is too early to speculate how for MOSO’s will fare well.
However, there exist some success cases of the youths related to sufficiency
economy. Noteworthy is the Youth Group for Khao Chamao Environment
Conservation at Tambon Thoong Kwai Kin at Klaeng District of Rayong Province
which lies about 100 kilometers of the capital city of Bangkok. The community
leader is a young lady named Buphathip Chaemnil or nicknamed as “Pa Fab”, a native
of Thoong Kwai Kin community. After having completed her secondary education at
the community, she came to Bangkok to further her undergraduate studies at
Ramkamhaeng University where she was well known for her extracurricular
activities. After graduation, Buphathip returned home to work in the community. She
set up her own “rent” book store called “Namchai” (Heart Spirit) where children and
youths in the community gathered together and engaged in readings and other social
activities.
As a social activist, Buphathip led groups of children to carry out community
activities such as growing trees, collecting garbage and cleaning public places. In
1994, she began to lead the children to clean the nearby Khao Chamao National
Forest Park where a large number of visitors from various parts of the country came
for recreation every year. Since then, these young volunteers from Khao Din Village
have regularly frequented the Khao Chamao mountainous areas and erased dirty
marks in the caves, growing trees and preventing the forest from being illegally cut
and burnt. The number of these young volunteers has gradually increased year by
year from only 10 persons in 1994 to around 400 persons in 2009. The group has
later been more organized called “Khao Chamao Conservation Group” (Kloom Raksa
Khao Chamao – in Thai) and being expanded into networks within and outside
communities. Their activities have also been expanded to cover, for example, taking
care of birds and solving elephants’ problems.
All the young people were born and have lived in the vicinity of the Khao
Chamao forest park for so long that they have been deeply embedded in the
indigenous culture and learned to treasure these natural and cultural aesthetics and
values. For them, trees are their lives and the environment is a most precious natural
capital for development. Out of these common bond and concern, the young people
were moved to join hands to work for the community.
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Viewed from the Sufficiency Economy perspective, the youths at Ban Khao
Din village were found to lead a moderate way of life in harmony with their natural
environment. Based on the group decision, “the youths were determined to transform
their existing natural, social and cultural capitals into sustainable community-based
development” (Youth Group for Khao Chamao, 2006:24). By social, cultural and
natural capitals, they mean people’s strength, aspiration and knowledge, ethical
integrity, folk wisdom and environmental resources. They also adhered to Thai
Buddhist preaching and cultural values by “abstaining from, reducing and giving up
all forms of social evils such as gambling, alcoholic drinking, violence, sexual and
drug abuse which are considered a primary cause of poverty.”
Apart from Buddhism’s Five Precepts, the Eightfold Noble Path have been
taken by people as a guiding light for the conduct of their self-reliant livelihood.
The Sufficiency Economy philosophy has become widely applied in local
communities after the year 1997 when the Thai economy was hard hit by the world
financial crisis and globalization effects.
The Thoong Kwai Kin community had
also been threatened by the industrialization and globalization processes which the
people called “storm from the west.” As they said:
“Thailand has adopted the Western culture for so long that our Buddhist
culture has been forgotten. The western concept is based on capitalism which
emphasizes acquiring wealth and material products to satisfy human needs and greed.
It is an illusion of the world, based on materialism and consumerism. Man is driven
to possess material wealth as much as possible to satisfy his endless needs and
become obsessed with self-interest and lust.
Thai Buddhist culture, on the other hand, emphasizes spiritual growth and
happiness, based on such socio-cultural capitals as folk wisdom, knowledge, ethical
integrity and compassion.” (Youth Group’s Report, 2006:11).
In every Thai community, a senior monk is an important opinion leader who
commands respect from local people and imparts Buddhist preaching for their
spiritual development. The Middle Path or moderation, a core process of the
Sufficiency Economy, also originates from Buddhism’s doctrine, named Eightfold
Noble Path, which seeks a balance between ethical and knowledge inputs and
happiness outputs for human life. As one senior monk at Thoong Kwai Kin Temple,
Phra Kru Prachote Dhammapritome, said: individual happiness is not based on his
physical needs like eating, sleeping or sex; it is rather on moral virtues such as
offering merits and help to the needy people. One common village practice, named
“Karn Long Kaek” or “Mutual and Communal Help” has been such a long standing
folk wisdom or custom in Thailand by which rural people come to help one another in
farming or any other community activities, using their own social capitals regardless
of financial costs.
The youths set out to formulate the “Happy Community Project” based on
community data, aimed at achieving Happiness in Life. The core strategy was “less
dependence on out resources” but “more self-reliance on existing socio-cultural and
human capitals.” They ventured in the “integrated community development
approach” based on home, temple (religious place) and schools – three main social
institutions in the community. As for communication, the youths selected their
leaders as a group of “prime movers” to secure cooperation and participation from
people in the community. First of all, these prime movers would seek advice and
information from a number of local or opinion leaders; most important among them
are Buddhist senior monks, village headmen, district officials, teachers, local pundits
or learned men, artists and senior citizens etc. In Thai culture, with community
leaders’ approval, it becomes easier for the youths to recruit other people’s
participation. In the case of the Happy Community Project, a number of social
events, activities and meetings were organized at the community learning center at
Ban Khao Din in which various groups of local people were invited to take part.
Some folk culture and media such as puppet show drama and songs were frequently
used to attract local people. Owing to their common historical and cultural heritages,
both leaders and community fellows found it congenial to reach agreement on the
application of Sufficiency Economy project.
During March, 2009, a sample survey of 400, respondents was conducted at
this community to examine the interrelationships between communication media
usage, social and cultural capitals and community happiness. As expected, the uses of
communication channels including the mass media, interpersonal and group were
found to correlate significantly with both social and cultural capitals which in turn led
to the community happiness. The finding lent support to the Sufficiency Economy
hypotheses as earlier discussed.
Case 3: Development Communication for Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness
The third case presents an empirical research on the role of participatory
development communication in G.N.H. at a Bhutanese community. It was conducted
by a graduate student from Bhutan, Khampa, for his Master’s thesis at Bangkok
University in 2009 (See, Khampa, 2009). Khampa chose a rural community in
Eastern Bhutan, named Khaling Gewog of Trashigang District, as a study site where
most people are illiterate farmers. A sample of 334 respondents were randomly
selected most of whom are adult females with low income and no education at all.
Since the community of Khaling is very remote, people still could not have
access to mass media as sources of information. Most villagers relied on face-to-face
communications, interpersonal channels, activities and traditional media in their daily
lives. Accordingly, Khampa has conceptualized the concept of development
communication as “participatory” and “action” communication dimensions each of
which was measured by a set of items reflecting interpersonal, group and cultural
activities.
To measure the people’s happiness (G.N.H.), Khampa used a short version of
the 52-page questionnaire developed by the Center for Bhutan Studies. The shortlist
of the questionnaire consisted of 21 items designed to tap the nine dimensions of
G.N.H. as earlier described, namely, emotional well-being, standard of living, health
of an individual, education, eco-system diversity and vitality, time use and balance,
community vitality and good governance. However, after having computed the factor
analysis to form the G.N.H. index, only 17 items were found to have significant
loadings on eight dimensions. The items designed to measure the dimension of ecosystem diversity and vitality were found to correlate with cultural and education items
and, thus, this dimension was subsumed under other dimensions.
What is interesting is that in this study the two communication variables,
participatory development communication and action communication, were found to
have a significant relationship with the G.N.H. index. Even after having controlled
for socio-economic status variable, these relationships remained statistically
significant. The participatory development communication was found to correlate
with G.N.H. at .289 (p < .01) while the communication action correlated with G.N.H.
at .234 (p < .01). After having controlled for socio-economic status variable, the two
correlations dropped to .283 and .227 (p < .01) respectively.
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Based on this empirical evidence, it suggests that communication activities
can exert an influence on Bhutanese people’s ways of lives in remote areas. Given
the fact that farmers are poor and illiterate, they can rely on various means of
communication including traditional interpersonal and group channels and indigenous
culture to help improve their standard of living and well-beings. Thus, in the
Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, communication as a social process proud to be an
imperative component that empowered the grassroots to lead a happy life in harmony
with their socio-economic and cultural environments.
Conclusions
This study has analyzed and synthesized Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness
(G.N.H.) concept and Thailand’s Sufficiency Economy philosophy as an alternative
model for sustainable development and social change. The two development models
have been conceived by Their Majesties the Kings of the two countries based on the
Buddhist doctrine and geared to achieve the good of human happiness, rather than the
economic growth. Conceptually and operationally, both models have several features
in common. G.N.H. possesses four pillars of a happy society broken into nine
domains, namely: psychological well-being, ecology, health, education, culture, living
standard, time use, community vitality and good governance, each with its own index.
Similarly, Sufficiency Economy breaks into eight domains, namely: economic, ethical
and cultural, social, educational, management of public and private sectors, science
and technology, and resource and environment, each with its own indicators and
index. Accordingly, a synergy paradigm of human communication and happiness has
been drawn up to serve as a conceptual framework for study of sustainable
development and social change toward the goal of human happiness or spiritual
growth.
In the synergy paradigm, communication is taken as an integral part of the
Sufficiency Economy, also derived from Buddhism’s Noble Eightfold Path namely
the right speech or Sammavaca. The new dimension of communication may be
interpreted as the right to communicate encompassing freedoms of expression,
information, participation, privacy and such ethical values as truthfulness and
decency; they can be taken as human and social capitals in the human happiness
system. Based on the three case studies in Thailand and Bhutan, the communication
components were found to correlate significantly with Sufficiency Economy and
G.N.H. indices.
In view of the limitations of existing empirical studies, further rigorous
research is urgently needed to verify the findings and the proposed synergy paradigm.
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