Public Divided On Cabinet Reshuffle

[george]

Public divided on cabinet reshuffle

BANGKOK: -- The public broadly support the opposition's plan to launch a no-confidence motion against Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit over the CTX scanners scandal, but remain divided on the issue of a possible cabinet reshuffle, according to a poll published yesterday.

The Suan Dusit poll of 1,083 Bangkok residents found that 74.6 percent were in favour of the censure motion, launched in the wake of the recent scandal involving the procurement of bomb detector equipment for the capital's new Suvarnabhumi Airport.

But 25.3 percent of those polled disapproved of the no-confidence motion, saying that the present government had only recently taken office.

This attitude was reflected in answers to the question of whether the cabinet should be reshuffled, with 54.2 percent of respondents saying that the government should be allowed to work for longer before any changes were made to the cabinet line-up.

But 42.5 percent hinted of unhappiness with Mr. Suriya, saying that the government should get a new transport minister.

--TNA 2005-06-12