Abstract

This study aimed to develop strategies for building welfare and career development networks for informal female workers in Loei Province, Thailand, based on the Buddhist principle of Samakkhi Dhamma (unity). Many women in the informal sector face problems such as low welfare coverage, financial insecurity, lack of job skills, poor access to legal protection, and weak community cooperation. A mixed-methods research design was used. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires from 372 participants, and qualitative data were gathered from focus group discussions with 30 women. The findings revealed six main areas for improvement: expanding welfare coverage, easing financial access, improving communication about benefits, raising service quality, supporting healthcare and compensation, and increasing social security participation.These strategies were designed as part of a non-formal, community-based education model grounded in local values. The Buddhist teaching of Samakkhi Dhamma was found to play a key role in encouraging cooperation, unity, and shared responsibility. The study contributes to the field of educational development by showing how cultural beliefs can enhance workforce learning and support social equity. However, the study was limited to one province, and broader national policies were not examined. Further studies are recommended to test the strategies in other regions and explore how religious and cultural values can be used in designing community education and welfare systems.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.