Impact of Digital Media Usage on Human Happiness and Well Being - An Analysis of Rural Communities in Thailand

Authors

  • Panida Jongsuksomsakul Business Economic and Communication, Naresuan University, Thailand

Keywords:

Well-being, Happiness, Digital media, Participatory communication

Abstract

The distribution of digital media seems to impact on daily communication media usage and invest a lot of money on digital living. This study aims to examine the effects of digital culture and digital media on the happiness and well-being of rural people (n=387, α=0.05) in the Koakha and Thagham sub districts in Lampang and Singhburi provinces.The results found that the majority samples perceived the highest score (gif.latex?\bar{x} = 4.01, s.d.=0.9) on analogue television and personal communication which influences six factors; 1)health and mind dimension; 2)job security dimension; 3)economic security dimension; 4) community and family relationships; 5) administrative management dimension; 6) community environment and climate dimension together where they are entwined and cannot be easily separated. Investing in modern media tools and systems (social networks, mobile devices, digital television), should be embraced, though they should be treated with caution. It is also crucial to account for any unintended effects, such as unfiltered or unverified information. The paper further questions the role of local government, and their role in promoting local identity, social policy and how digitisation could assist in serving those living outside of major cities in Thailand.

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Published

2018-12-20

How to Cite

Jongsuksomsakul, P. (2018). Impact of Digital Media Usage on Human Happiness and Well Being - An Analysis of Rural Communities in Thailand. Thammasat Review, 21(2), 132–171. Retrieved from https://sc01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/tureview/article/view/161330