THE PROCESS FOR CREATING A LEARNING NETWORK IN THE COMMUNITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE BLUE CRAB BANK COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE GROUP OF BAN NACHUMHET, HAT SAMRAN SUB-DISTRICT, HAT SAMRAN DISTRICT, TRANG PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this research article aimed to study the process for creating a learning network in the community, problems, and group management of the blue crab bank community enterprise group of Ban Na Chum Het, Hat Samran Sub-District, Hat Samran District, Trang Province. This research was qualitative research. The group of key informants consisted of four persons, who were selected with purposive sampling. Data was collected using a questionnaire, observation records, a camera, and an audio recorder to conduct in-depth interviews and group discussions. After that, the data was analyzed using descriptive analytics. The results of the research indicated that 1) the process for creating a learning network in the community for the Blue Crab Bank community enterprise group indicated with the respective order: 1.1) Starting point or founding stage, 1.2) Brainstorming stage with the founders, 1.3) Formulating the guidelines of the operations for the members in the group, 1.4) Operations or practices, and 1.5) Expansion; 2) The problems of the group indicated that, at present, the number of blue crabs in the wild around the Hat Samran beach area has kept decreasing. This situation was a result of the excessive catching of blue crabs to sell to meet the demands of tourists. This reason caused the quantity of caught blue crabs to be decreased, affecting the income of the fishing group (crab boats) of the Ban Na Chum Het Community, Ban Tase Community, Ban Khok Khai Community, and Ban Pak Pron Community also to be decreased as well. Therefore, members of the fishing group (crab boat) led by Mr. Chiwin Longklang, Chairman of the Blue Crab Bank of Ban Na Chum Het, conducted the discussions on the problems that occurred and what methods would be used to increase the number of blue crabs’ population in the sea of Hat Samran beach; 3) Group management applied the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy for management, which included moderation, reasonableness, self-immunity, knowledgeableness, and morality.