Advancing sustainable development through education in a Thai local community

Purpose This study aims to examine how education for sustainable development operates within community-based, non-formal learning contexts in a rural Thai community. It explores how local actors use educational and social practices to promote sustainability and clarifies the role education plays in supporting sustainable community development. Design/methodology/approach The case study employed a participatory ethnographic approach based on ten days of fieldwork in Nong Bua, Thailand, as part of an international research program. Data were collected through observations, semi-structured interviews with local leaders and reflexive discussions and analyzed using grounded theory, applied both as a coding tool and model-building approach. The analysis focused on the role of education in sustainable community development and how it is enacted in practice. Findings Sustainability in Nong Bua is expressed through everyday practices of taking care and taking action. Education supports community development by fostering a shared mindset, collaboration and local leadership across formal, non-formal, and informal settings. Community initiatives – such as environmental campaigns, re-education programs and peer mentoring – illustrate how education enables transformative learning through participation, reflection and collective action, turning learning into meaningful social action. Originality/value The study proposes a conceptual model showing how education fosters sustainability through participatory, culturally grounded and transformative processes. Its originality lies in emphasizing the often-overlooked non-formal and informal initiatives that link learning with lived experience and local culture, advancing understanding of how Community-Based Education for Sustainable Development operates in practice.