This dissertation is of 3 objectives: 1) study the context of dispute mediation of Phitsanulok Municipality, 2) study disputing mediation model according to Western academic principles and Buddhist principles, 3) present a mediation model of Phitsanulok Municipality by the integration of Buddhist peaceful means; it is a field study qualitative research by studying documents and interview 30 interviewees comprising of 14 personals of Phitsanulok Municipality and 16 community leaders, and a focus group of 7 professionals comprising academics of Buddhism and Buddhist peaceful means, justice process and education from both governmental and private sectors.
The result of study found that conflicts in Phitsanulok Municipality have got from both developing project that managed by the government impacting private sector, and the conflict arisen between a private sector and another private sector; there are both clear happened issue and the hidden conflict that awaits to explode. Many cases Phitsanulok Municipality has successfully managed while many ones have still been in problem resolutions. The arisen conflicts are related to service providing from the government sector in terms of basic structures; i.e. electricity, piped water, roads, floods, garbage, dam construction for preventing floods, including the conflicts involving bad smell, loud, competition in occupying area, i.e. stray dogs and cats make disturbing noise, loud alcohol and food shops, smell from food shop, house construction, public encroaching building, demands of merchandising space in markets, managing on bad smell and wastewater from killing chickens, etc.
Overall image of solving problems of Phitsanulok Municipality will be done within the communities firstly by having the members of municipal assembly and community leaders to mutually participate solving complaint problems. In each community, there will be the community chairman to perform duties which include mediation for folks, but if the problem is huge that cannot be solved in the community, it will be forwarded to the municipality. The municipality part has got the system to receive complaints via many channels, having responders to respond each complaint but still not having a formal mediating system, not having mediating center set up yet nor having mediators to be responsible directly; but in case of having any complaint that has to be managed by conversing process, the municipality will assign responsible person in each field to go for mediation, understand the folks, which there are both the matter can be well managed and the matter that the conflicts still exist because of the attitude problem of the personnel and the lack of enough skill in mediating.
The conflict resolution in Phitsanulok Municipality will be better performed by the integrative knowledge of mediation from western countries, Thailand, and Buddhist Dhamma principles, including mediating experiences of Phitsanulok Municipality. The important findings for this research integration are: Firstly, mediators’ qualifications: having mutuality of being neutral and patient, having effort, wisdom and knowledge, loving kindness, understanding others; Secondly, necessary principles and means for preforming the duties of mediators:
1) conflict analysis and designing mediation; 2) an expression of friendly attitude;
3) communication with soft speech and deep listening; 4) making parties see the usefulness of living together with unity; 5) forgiving one another and resuming back for togetherness; 6) continuously following the results; and Thirdly, factors of success in mediating in Phitsanulok Municipality comprise of 1) mediators having knowledge, skills, good attitude towards mediation, being ones who sacrifice, having listening and transforming relationship skills, having commitment, skill in making step by step procedure, holding on to the value that meets both parties’ demands, and attaching to morality and ethics; 2) awareness of parties to talk, having the same aim, having respect to the other party, having inspiration in working together, having an expression of responsibility, having faith or respect and belief towards mediators; 3) organization administrators see to the importance of this process with support and impel with commitment for people to turn back to one another, being able to live together with loving kindness, not hating one another; 4) personnel in organizations mutually impel, promote and support this useful means and make effort in accordance with the good administrators’ visions; 5) people in communities mutually impel to use the means of talking rather than being silent or quarrelling; and 6) having enough resources both personnel, budget and equipment.
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