Public Unsatisfied With PM's Performance: Bangkok Poll

[h90]

quote name='macgver' timestamp='1320750088' post='4832175'

When I spoke to the taxi drivers, the people is complaining the Bangkok mayor instead Thai PM.

/quote

Taxi drivers are an important base of the red shirt movement. Think -- groupthink.

And the negative comments from the same old group is more groupthink.

I don't think that the poll carries much weight, even if it shows a surpisingly strong base of support for the government. It's so strong, that I it goes against human nature.

Note the key line; With regards to Yingluck's management in dealing with the floods, 55.8 percent of the respondents believe in Yingluck's flood rehabilitation measures whereas 44.2 percent do not.

The PTP garnered 48% of the national vote in the election. PTP received less than this in the BMA. As such it seems to me that the government's support is holding firm if not growing.

Very odd result as it goes against the angry farang sentiments expressed in TVF.

G'kid: Perhaps you'd like to be more truthful and indicate that 48% included massive vote buying and also mention that the pt 'marketing people' realized well that a very large % of the Thai electorate make their voting decisions based on one off, sometimes very simple, give aways and because of promises to keep pork prices down. At the same time putting no focus whatever on big picture / long-term policies and long-term development.

Guys...I have friends who told me that they were offered money to vote from at least 2 different parties, in some cases even 3 and more. So can we just admit, that EVERY party is practizing this and the "loosers" were just too cheap?!

Last elections as it seems every bigger party was involved in massive vote buying.

But that all are doing it, does not make it better. The only reasonable decision from an independent Election commission would have been to nullify the elections and make new one.

Vote buying is pretty expensive.

[DocN]

"But that all are doing it, does not make it better. "

I SO agree with this!

But if the Election commitee would do a propper job, Thais would have elections until the end of time, every 2 weeks!

[geriatrickid]

The issue isn't about vote buying. It's the poll result that some are touting as an indication of sagging government popularity.The poll indicates more support frt the government than was shown at the last election. If the government popuarity was falling (as I expect it should), then why the high number for approval of the government. Very odd results.

[Buchholz]

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University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce today revealed that the Consumer Confidence Index has dropped to its lowest level in 10 years, to 62.8 in October.

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Edited November 10, 2011 by Buchholz

[473geo]

So this poll that has a landslide winner from just 12 weeks ago dropping to less than her opponent doesn't reflect a plummet?

oh ok, if you say so...

I'm sure the government has taken a political hit as a result of the flooding crisis, and its poor performance particularly in coordination and communication.But you are reading too much into the poll or rather drawing conclusions the poll doesn't really support.

So now you admit that the poll does reflect a drop in the public opinion and you agree with my initial post which surmised the same.

Glad we got that cleared up.

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Polls at this time are a complete waste of time and effort, how many times do I have to say it. Look at the circumstances people who are voting find themselves in, it is part of human nature to look for somebody to blame, also if the government is taking the blame, more chance of compensation.

But the bottom line is....whlle the opponents of the government may well be smug at this time, the poll that counts is the next election, and the government has a good period of time to repair the damage and walk into power again.

[Zolt]

Remember that this poll is for Bangkok residents only. Yingluck and PTP didn't have a majority in Bangkok at the last election, so 56% approval could be called a big success.Approval ratings for most European governments are way lower than that right now.

However the article is just 7 lines and doesn't give enough info on the poll itself, so we can't really interpret that 56% figure.

[Buchholz]

Thai confidence at 10-year low

Floods hit more firms

Thai consumer confidence hit a 10-year low in October as flooding took 533 lives and shut thousands of factories, with another big industrial estate threatened on Thursday as the waters spread to the east of the capital, Bangkok.

The consumer confidence index from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce slumped to 62.8 in October from 72.2 in September - a level last reached in the aftermath of the September 2001 attacks on the United States.

"The flooding has dragged down consumer confidence and it will probably fall further if the economy is severely affected and the government can't speed up rebuilding within 3-6 months," said university economist Thanavath Phonvichaisaid.

Continues:

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/thai-confidence-10-low-floods-hit-more-firms-062006099.html

-- Reuters 2011-11-10

[Buchholz]

Thai Floods Sap Confidence as 2011 GDP Growth Forecast Slashed

Thai economic forecasters said floods that have swamped factories and displaced millions over the past month may crimp gross domestic product growth this year to as little as 0.5 percent if all of Bangkok is inundated. Thailand’s consumer confidence dropped for a third straight month in October, slumping to the lowest level in a decade, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce said today.

The economy may grow between 0.5 percent and 1.5 percent this year if floods reach all of Bangkok’s 50 districts, according to economist Thanavath Phonvichai. “Confidence may fall further this month as people are still concerned about the wider flooding area,” Thanavath, the university’s economic forecasting director, told reporters today. “The steep fall showed that people are shocked about what has happened. Economic activities are stalled.”

Thai officials are aiming to prevent the floods from further damaging the economy after swamping seven industrial parks with 891 factories north of the capital, disrupting global supply chains. Bangkok officials are trying to prevent floodwaters from cutting off a key road linking the capital with southern resort areas including Hua Hin, where many people have fled to escape the disaster over the past month.

Continues:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-10/thai-floods-threaten-to-swamp-main-road-linking-bangkok-to-south.html

Bloomberg - Nov. 10, 2011

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