ABSTRACT

            This thesis had three main purposes: (1) to study the public views on value of drinking, (2) to study drinking that had great effect on Buddha-dhamma and societies, and (3) to study ways to resolve the Buddhists’ drinking-problem at Phralab-Chainarong-Samakkhi Community, Khonkaen Municipality 2. A result of this study was found in the following aspects.

                  The value of drinking in Thai societies was always accepted and shown openly in the public. This action made directly the youths and the others to imitate such immoral behaviour. Drinking became an important way to make the communication among people and their parties. Although all persons knew a bad result of drinking, they were not afraid of its great affectation on physical and mental health. Drinking was always found in various societies and ceremonies that were added with the alcohol service. 

                  The affectation of drinking caused the chain problem in every matter: luxury, poorness, disharmony of a family, crime, accidents, diseases, lost of human resource, and lost of economics. The affectation of drinking was also on Thai societies. It caused a wrong belief that drinking was a traditional practice as one of a way of life. People had kept a view that drinking was usual even in the function of making the fulfillment of merit. As a social problem, drinking made a drunken person unconscious, self-uncontrollable, and violent.

                  Ways of resolving the drinking problems was made with the use of Buddha-dhamma in Thai societies. The personal healthy problem was done with three Buddhist principles: six ways of squandering wealth, five precepts, and association of friends. Buddha-dhamma applied to the solution of the family member’s mental problems was mindfulness, and the practice of insight meditation that could make a family compassionate and harmonious.

                  Buddha-dhamma applied to the solution of the other problems was three roots of good action, five principles, and three items of meritorious action that could be used as a tool to control mind from being hungry to drink and leaving to drink. This way was to support a person’s life development with diligence to work, diligence to keep, association with good friends, and balanced livelihood.

                        A result of the questionnaire made by five hundred and twenty-five people at Phralab-Chainarong-Samakkhi Community, Khonkaen Municipality 2 was found that most of them were a woman (64%) and 18-24 of their age (29%). In the lower level, they had 25-30 of their age (26.30%). Most of them finished the secondary school or vocational certificates (61.70%). They were students (30.7). In the lower level, they were workers (29.10%). Their income was more than 15,000 baht.

                  The value of drinking was found that drinking for making a friend was in the neutral level ( = 3.27).  Drinking for taking the traditions and joyfulness and drinking on the special chances was in the lower level ( = 3.22) and ( = 2.88) in an order.   

                  The affectation of drinking was in a highest level ( = 3.94). The lower level of the affectation of drinking was on morality ( = 3.76), societies ( = 3.61), and economics ( = 3.55).

                  There were a way to use the Buddhist principles applied to development of the harmonious family ( = 3.92), mindfulness and consciousness ( = 3.81) and understating the Four Noble Truths ( = 3.45).