September 15, 2024: Public trust in the Paetongtarn administration is smaller than mistrust, but not by much, yet Thaksin Shinawatra is clearly perceived as bad news, according to the latest NIDA survey.
The survey of 1,310 people conducted last week showed that nearly 58% have little or zero confidence in the new government (22.52% do not trust the administration “at all” while 35.42% have doubts).
Just over 41% are trusting (28.17% say they “fairly” believe in the government and 13.13% say they have unquestioned confidence).
58 against 41 is not too bad for such a trouble-plagued government. But the NIDA has a finding that is more clear-cut, and that concerns Thaksin.
Asked how they think Thaksin’s involvement in politics will impact the ruling Pheu Thai Party’s image, more than 40% predict that it will be negative. This is against more than 22% who believe that it will be positive. A significant 33.29% see no effects one way or the other.
The Thaksin “worries” appear here and there in the survey’s findings. For example, some 32% believe that the prime minister’s relatively young age and “beyond limits” involvement of her father in politics present potential trouble for the government.
When asked what they think are factors that may destabilise the government, almost 19% mention Thaksin-related legal or constitutional complaints that might cause big problems for the administration.
Daily updates of local and international events by Tulsathit Taptim
