Nida rector insists he took highest ethical stand in refusing watch poll release

[webfact]

Nida rector insists he took highest ethical stand in refusing watch poll release

By The Nation

 

file photo

 

The controversy-plagued rector of Nida Poll has issued a statement intended to protect the integrity of the institute following the recent resignation of its poll director.

 

Rector Pradit Wanarat, said that he had issued the order to suspend the poll about public reaction to Deputy PM Prawit Wansuwan’s luxury watches that was to be released on January 28, an action that prompted the resignation of Nida’s director, Arnond Sakworawich.

 

Pradit cited three reasons that the poll lacked integrity and failed to meet academic standards.

 

First, the timing to conduct the poll was not appropriate, Pradit said, as the issue was under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which has not yet reached any conclusions. So, in his view, the poll results could influence people’s perceptions and society at large, and lead to disturbance.

 

Second, the poll’s questions could have misled respondents to give responses that the pollsters wished to hear. 

 

Pradit said there were five questions posed in the poll.

 

First: Have your friends ever lent you luxury watches?

 

Second: If a politician claimed to have borrowed luxury items from friends, do you think it is true or not?

 

Third: Do you think such a claim on luxury item’s possession could allow probes into corruption to continue?

 

Fourth: Do you think a liar would corrupt?

 

Fifth: Would you accept protection from clans suspected of being corrupt?

 

Pradit said those questions clearly misled respondents, citing some television programmes that interviewed former directors of the same poll, who pointed to the misleading aspects.

 

For instance, said Pradit, the first question aimed to ask people with incomes lower than Bt20,000, with 61 per cent of them not having a bachelors degree, suggesting they would be unlikely to have friends who would lend them luxury watches, and their answers would end up with “never”.

 

The question, Pradit added, also contained emotional and loaded words, suggesting unsound polling.

 

His third major ethical issue related to bias. Pollsters have to be unbiased and impartial to the issues or persons subject to their polling. The director’s posts on Facebook before the poll release date showed that he was biased, Pradit said. For instance, Pradit cited a January 24 post by Arnond, which allegedly said that if Big Pom (General Prawit) survived, Too (PM Prayut) and the junta would not, cannot, because they would lose all integrity. 

 

Pradit statement argued that due to the three ethical and academic weaknesses, the poll was not a good poll, and because he was responsible for the integrity of the Institute, he had to issue an order to suspend it.

 

Pradit insisted that he had never amended the poll results in any way over the last five years. He just sometimes asked to see what subjects would be to ensure they are academically based.

 

Pradit insisted he has not recieved any orders to suspend the poll, and urged the public and the media to have trust in the Institute and its integrity and impartiality based on academic standards.

 

Arnond, who is a lecturer on business analytics and intelligence at the School of Applied Statistics, had just been appointed to lead the Nida polling office a few weeks earlier, but announced his resignation on the same date as the poll was to be released. 

 

He wrote on Facebook that he had decided to quit with immediate effect. “For me, academic freedom and being respected are the most important values. Even before I had a position, I always stood in society on the side of what is right.”

 

At first he did not mention which poll he was writing about, but it was later learned that it was the one to do with Prawit’s possession of luxury watches.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30338040

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-06

[yellowboat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

First, the timing to conduct the poll was not appropriate, Pradit said, as the issue was under investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which has not yet reached any conclusions. So, in his view, the poll results could influence people’s perceptions and society at large, and lead to disturbance.

In most of the non elitists view, who were taught manners in the first place, it is the poor decisions and bad behavior that leads to disturbances.   The people who were not appointed by those who usurped power have reached a conclusion, obviously.   The poll only confirms their outrage. 

[mtls2005]

Shouldn't he have reviewed the proposal for the poll before it was initiated?

 

Doesn't the "lack of integrity" of the poll reflect on him?

 

 

[Ossy]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 . . . highest ethical stand . . .

Three words that, as applied to Junta behaviour - and, increasingly, to Thailand as a race - have a very different meaning, here, than in the civilised world. The 2P's and clearly, now, Rector Pradit, wouldn't appreciate the difference between the truth and a lie or between right and wrong and good and bad, even if their lives depended on it . . . they would simply go for the one that seemed to cost them the least, regardless . . . that's the word that sums this shower up perfectly.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Ossy
meaning

[Juan B Tong]

Poor poll/survey.

Didn't get the results they wanted.

[tifino]

 

just keep on trying...

 

[klauskunkel]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Nida rector insists he took highest ethical stand in refusing watch poll release

I insist that I am a genius..., however, it doesn't make me one.

[Eric Loh]

I think he gain more in terms of ethical stand by releasing the poll results. Now he is seen negatively. Poor decision making or maybe a lackey of Prawit. 

[Bluespunk]

What a tosser...

[Jonmarleesco]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

For instance, said Pradit, the first question aimed to ask people with incomes lower than Bt20,000, with 61 per cent of them not having a bachelors degree, suggesting they would be unlikely to have friends who would lend them luxury watches, and their answers would end up with “never”.

On the contrary. Given the question relates to Prawit's declared income vs assets, an income that might just about afford a Mickey Mouse special, I should think it highly relevant.

 

But given the mention of ethics, the whole question is moot.

[Happyman58]

What century are we living in? These people in power shoot themselves in the foot every time . The polls came back bad so they were told to can them. The Junta treat Thai population as fools and just do as they please.

[Happyman58]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

Pradit insisted he has not recieved any orders to suspend the poll, and urged the public and the media to have trust in the Institute and its integrity and impartiality based on academic standards.

 

Wow what crap. Impartiality Thais dont even know the meaning of that word. He did not receive order to suspend the poll  ( Yeah pigs flying backwards again in Thailand)   I guess the wording to stop the poll Dear/ Mr Pradit    We respect your right for impartiality but we have a problem with this poll. We suggest you not publish it We dont want to be seen as suppressing freedom of speech but in some cases this needs to be done to keep our good image and and your job (Understand) We will leave you to B/s to everyone why this poll wont be published. If we happy  with the b/s you tell the people then extra payment be in your account this month. Remember this only suggestion (Not order)   Signed Gen Prawit

[Ossy]

5 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Poor decision making or maybe a lackey of Prawit. 

I don't know about being a lackey, I'm driven to comment that even to encroach on Porky's dark side would be pretty risky, having demonstrated with sickening clarity, during this 'bad time-keeping' distraction, that he can draw the scariest actions and decisions from pretty powerful people. Almost to the point that, if he was to order, "Silence that Ossy guy on that farang forum", I'd better start digging. Yes . . . bloody scary when these guys get wound up the wrong way.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Ossy
omisson

[coulson]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

For instance, said Pradit, the first question aimed to ask people with incomes lower than Bt20,000, with 61 per cent of them not having a bachelors degree, suggesting they would be unlikely to have friends who would lend them luxury watches, and their answers would end up with “never

The answer would be never, regardless of class, let alone......*on 25 occasions*

[Eric Loh]

18 minutes ago, Ossy said:

I don't know about being a lackey, I'm driven to comment that even to encroach on Porky's dark side would be pretty risky, having demonstrated with sickening clarity, during this 'bad time-keeping' distraction, that he can draw the scariest actions and decisions from pretty powerful people. Almost to the point that, if he was to order, "Silence that Ossy guy on that farang forum", I'd better start digging. Yes . . . bloody scary when these guys get wound up the wrong way.

Don't you worry my friend. You should see the social media condemnation of this little man. You are no way near those mean and derogatory words used by Thais. 

 

Maybe I would say that the rector just don't have the b...s like his Khun Arnond and certainly lacking in courage to be honest and truthful. 

[newcomer71]

Quote

Nida rector insists he took highest ethical stand in refusing watch poll release

I stopped to read at the title, as prominent Thais don't have a clue about the meaning of "Ethical".

[Happyman58]

11 hours ago, newcomer71 said:

I stopped to read at the title, as prominent Thais don't have a clue about the meaning of "Ethical".

Anybody tell you  that u look like Kenny Rodgers

 

[Ossy]

1 hour ago, Happyman58 said:

Anybody tell you  that u look like Kenny Rodgers

 

He is Kenny Rodgers for sure . . . n71 is just his under-the-radar name, in case the good Rector Pradit is 'asked' by Porky to run a poll on which expats should stay and which should go. Well, that's what I think.

[newcomer71]

1 hour ago, Happyman58 said:

Anybody tell you  that u look like Kenny Rodgers

 

You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run.