Survey: Thailand Heading In The Wrong Direction

[hammered]

Interesting that we have a survey by a respected neutral body and we still get back to fighting what we feel when the survety actually has stuff in it that supports and upsets all sides.

Pardons are not supported (70-80% against) but coup leaders should be tried too (50 odd%)

Over 60% want to keep the article on party disolution but almost everyone wants a fully elected parliament (inc senate)

The public should be inolved in drafting the constitution ammendments and also referendum it later

Only 33% think their MPs represent them

About 2/3 think Thailand is democratic

A small majoirty porefer the current big multi-person constutency to the smaller one person one

A clear majority want elected governors and decentralisation

Most see democracy in terms of rights and freedoms and not in terms of elections or representative selction

The military are still fairly respected

The courts have integrity and are the most poltically neutral body

The police lack integrity and are politcally bias (84%)

The unity number previosuly mentioned

Most see vote buying as affecting things in their areas

In just those listed are things all sides will like and not like and things no sides will like (elected governors). Food for thought for everyone. Still no doubt it is back to picking and choosing and trying to continue to argue entrenched positions.

Nice to see a survey from a body that cant so easily be accused of bias.

[Plus]

I understand your points, but I weight things differently.

One corrupt man cannot be as bad as seventy years of neigh on total army control and corruption - these people have no place in democracy, or huge mansions or land snatches or Benzs or massive bank accounts (100 lifetimes of their salary...) or re-writting constitutions or vocal political voices (or any political voice), I could go on; you get the picture.

To say that 'the people' approved of 'the coup' is not an acceptable argument in a democracy, and of course leads onto a bigger situation of nationalism and an area we cannot discuss - which makes this whole topic semi-redundant (for now)...

The military has lost its role after 1992 uprising, and even 2006 coup didn't restore it. So no one gives shit about what they think or do anymore most of the time, it's a non-issue.

"Huge mansions, land snatches, big Benzes" - it's all peanuts, items for personal consumption, just enough to retire in comfort, cannot compare in any way to really rich people here.

For a while our resident Thai, Heng, flogged the saying that while the police counts the money, the army counts empty whiskey bottles.

I stress it again - it's a non-issue.

Why don't you look at Hammered's list of what matters instead.

[jasreeve17]

Hammered, I know you like to act the knowing father figure, but I don't buy it - sorry.

Statistics can be argued or designed any how you like, we're all mature enough to understand that point. For example you 'feather' the figures yourself with words like: a small majority / a clear majority / 50 odd%, still fairly respected / lack integrity - see you do it to father... we all do, both with regard to the style of question we ask and how we interpret the answer; it's called manipulation (conscious or subconscous).

Offering pure numbers from a transparent survey is best, but we immediately 'interpret' these figures in our own unique and manipulative way. Thus, these surveys either start out or quickly become, close to worthless...

I'd say that the info in the survey appears to (or could be interpreted to...) support both Plus' and my own viewpoints - i.e. the average Joe doesn't trust the people involved in the political arena and wants people who abuse their power to be prosecuted. We just see the heart of the problem differently - i.e. who needs to be prosecuted.

Lastly, what do you suggest we use surveys for??? To look, but not think? Put them in a cupboard? Or, perhaps, like I'm doing with Plus, as a basis for discussion... and yes, previous viewpoints mingle with new information. But, thanks for your input...

[jasreeve17]

I understand your points, but I weight things differently.

One corrupt man cannot be as bad as seventy years of neigh on total army control and corruption - these people have no place in democracy, or huge mansions or land snatches or Benzs or massive bank accounts (100 lifetimes of their salary...) or re-writting constitutions or vocal political voices (or any political voice), I could go on; you get the picture.

To say that 'the people' approved of 'the coup' is not an acceptable argument in a democracy, and of course leads onto a bigger situation of nationalism and an area we cannot discuss - which makes this whole topic semi-redundant (for now)...

The military has lost its role after 1992 uprising, and even 2006 coup didn't restore it. So no one gives shit about what they think or do anymore most of the time, it's a non-issue.

"Huge mansions, land snatches, big Benzes" - it's all peanuts, items for personal consumption, just enough to retire in comfort, cannot compare in any way to really rich people here.

For a while our resident Thai, Heng, flogged the saying that while the police counts the money, the army counts empty whiskey bottles.

I stress it again - it's a non-issue.

Why don't you look at Hammered's list of what matters instead.

The military lost it's role? Looks pretty powerful to me - breaking the law, coup-ing out the leader, granting themselves huge finantial 'bonuses' from their army installed government, changing the law so they can't be prosecuted for their previously illegal actions... oh, so many examples...

Retire in comfort? You are accepting the corruption and abuse of power by army generals, which is unacceptable to me, but worse is the fact that they're above the law and do as they please, including talking about coups and conducting them - breaking the highest laws in the land and stopping democracy from developing.

I'm sorry Plus, but once again we get to a point where you are willing to accept any evil as long as it's not conducted by MrT - it's pointless having a discussion with you because you're polarized beyond the point of reason...

[Plus]

Survey numbers are a lot stronger arguments than "my gf villagers told me", or "Thais think this or that because I say so".

I'm a bit surprised by support for revoking amnesty for coupmakers. It's not going to happen anyway, but people want the army to be responsible, on par with politicians.

Since this issue hasn't made it into the public arena, I suppose it's not that important. There's a long way between "I support" to having enough people to really push for it, like they did with Thaksin's pardon, for example.