Experts Give Poor Rating To Thai Govt's Economic Solutions

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SURVEY

Experts give poor rating to govt's economic solutions

The Nation

Administration achieves average 3.83 out of 10, according to Bangkok Poll

BANGKOK: -- Economists at the country's leading organisations give poor scores to the government's performance in dealing with the country's economic problems, a survey has found.

They gave an average score of 3.83 out of 10 in key economic areas, according to results of the survey by Bangkok University's Research Institute, better known as Bangkok Poll.

The government got an average score of 5 on the growth of gross domestic product, 3.75 for its dealing with public debt, 3.47 in tackling economic inequality, 3.17 in taking care of consumer-product prices, and 3.03 in dealing with energy prices. Regarding the government's performance on economic matters following last year's flood crisis, it scored an average of 4.53.

The economists surveyed were asked to rate the government's performance involving economic affairs in the six areas mentioned above as excellent, good, fair, bad or deplorable. Only 0.3 per cent of the respondents chose "excellent". The largest groups among the economists surveyed opted for "fair" (39.7 per cent) or "bad" (33.6 per cent).

Among other respondents, 9.5 per cent said they found the government's performance to be "good", 10.1 per cent to be "deplorable" and the remaining 6.8 per cent did not answer this question or said they did not know.

The survey was conducted among 63 economists working for 26 economic- and financial-related organisations, including state agencies, economic think tanks, research houses, commercial banks, financial institutions and university economics faculties.

Among the 26 organisations named in the survey report were the Bank of Thailand, National Economic and Social Development Board, Thailand Development Research Institute, Kasikorn Research Centre, Stock Exchange of Thailand, Export-Import Bank of Thailand, Krung Thai Bank, Siam Commercial Bank, Capital Nomura Securities, Khon Kaen University and Chiang Mai University.

The economists surveyed were all graduates in economics, with 70 per cent of them holding master's degrees in the subject, and another 16 per cent holding doctorates. More than half had work experience of at least 11 years, with 27 per cent of the respondents having worked for more than 20 years.

The survey was conducted between April 20 and 25 through questionnaires sent through electronic mail. The government is set to have run the country for nine months in May.

The economists surveyed were asked to choose three of the government's implemented policies they found to be "excellent", with each respondent being allowed to select three.

Most of those surveyed, or almost 55 per cent, chose the project to get rid of drugs within 12 months. That was followed by 35.3 per cent who picked the tax refund for first-time car buyers, and 33.3 per cent who favoured the universal healthcare project.

Another 25.5 per cent of respondents chose the offer of a tax refund to first-time home-buyers, and 21.6 per cent the issuing of credit cards to farmers to buy their production supplies.

Slightly over one in five of the respondents, or 21.6 per cent, did not find any government project to be "excellent".

When asked to choose the government's implemented policies they found to be "deplorable", the largest group of the economists surveyed, 43.5 per cent, chose the project to cancel the Oil Fund, which helps subsidise fuel prices when oil becomes expensive.

The second-largest group, 40.3 per cent, picked the project of price pledges for paddy rice, followed by 38.7 per cent who went for the project of distributing tablet computers to primary-school students, and another 38.7 per cent for the promise to raise the minimum daily wage to Bt300 within 90 days.

Another 25.8 per cent said they found the project of offering the starting monthly salary of Bt15,000 to new university graduates to be worst.

No respondents agreed with the statement, "None of the government projects can be described as deplorable."

All the projects mentioned in the survey were the ruling Pheu Thai Party's key policy platforms announced during its campaign ahead of the general elections in July last year.

-- The Nation 2012-05-02

[daninthai]

"Only 0.3 per cent of the respondents chose "excellent".

"The survey was conducted among 63 economists"

Even if one economist chose 'excellent', that can't be as low as 0.3 percent. It can only by zero or 1.5%.

I've never been able to trust these surveys.

[noitom]

"Only 0.3 per cent of the respondents chose "excellent".

"The survey was conducted among 63 economists"

Even if one economist chose 'excellent', that can't be as low as 0.3 percent. It can only by zero or 1.5%.

I've never been able to trust these surveys.

Spot on! One would think that the editors would run this simple check at any "professional" newspaper.

[OzMick]

63 economists voting on 6 different areas of action - if only one chose "excellent" in only one area, the result would be...................<0.3%

It is not the job of a newspaper to alter the results of a survey it is reporting. They may also have slightly better skills at interpreting survey results.

[whybother]

"Only 0.3 per cent of the respondents chose "excellent".

"The survey was conducted among 63 economists"

Even if one economist chose 'excellent', that can't be as low as 0.3 percent. It can only by zero or 1.5%.

I've never been able to trust these surveys.

Of the 63 economists voting in the 6 areas (378 votes), one chose "excellent" in one area. 1/378 = 0.26 %.

[sparebox2]

And yet the SET (Thai stock market) is at almost all time high.

[kawaiimomo]

No respondents agreed with the statement, "None of the government projects can be described as deplorable."

[retarius]

"Only 0.3 per cent of the respondents chose "excellent".

"The survey was conducted among 63 economists"

Even if one economist chose 'excellent', that can't be as low as 0.3 percent. It can only by zero or 1.5%.

I've never been able to trust these surveys.

and I've never been able to trust economists....they were really helpful predicting the recent crises in US/EU were they? Better do haruspicy that to trust these no-nothings economists!!!

[heiwa]

Well too high in my opinion.

[hellodolly]

63 economists voting on 6 different areas of action - if only one chose "excellent" in only one area, the result would be...................<0.3%

It is not the job of a newspaper to alter the results of a survey it is reporting. They may also have slightly better skills at interpreting survey results.

I believe it to be the usual case of bad reporting.

I believe they were rating on a scale of 1 to 10 and the percentages were taken from the aggregate total.

My Math might be out but if only one voted for some thing the total % would be.01% on that scale it would mean 3 voted for it for a total of .03%

Feel free to correct me if you feel I am wrong. Please don't say you are daft (in many ways I am and I enjoy it) show me.

[OzMick]

63 economists voting on 6 different areas of action - if only one chose "excellent" in only one area, the result would be...................<0.3%

It is not the job of a newspaper to alter the results of a survey it is reporting. They may also have slightly better skills at interpreting survey results.

I believe it to be the usual case of bad reporting.

I believe they were rating on a scale of 1 to 10 and the percentages were taken from the aggregate total.

My Math might be out but if only one voted for some thing the total % would be.01% on that scale it would mean 3 voted for it for a total of .03%

Feel free to correct me if you feel I am wrong. Please don't say you are daft (in many ways I am and I enjoy it) show me.

WB spelled out the maths in the post directly below mine - I concur (but too lazy to do more than a rough head calculation.)

[drdoom6996]

These experts must not be in Thailand because everybody that is considered an expert is dummer than a hammer. I wonder if the idiots will take notice?

[drdoom6996]

"Only 0.3 per cent of the respondents chose "excellent".

"The survey was conducted among 63 economists"

Even if one economist chose 'excellent', that can't be as low as 0.3 percent. It can only by zero or 1.5%.

I've never been able to trust these surveys.

I trust this survey completely. I have been here 25 years and everything start downhill in 2004. To heck with the economy and the people of Thailand. JUST GET TAKSIN BACK.

[Crushdepth]

These experts must not be in Thailand because everybody that is considered an expert is dummer than a hammer. I wonder if the idiots will take notice?

I hope you aren't referring to the government's (and I quote) "economic dream team".

[diggledunc]

"Only 0.3 per cent of the respondents chose "excellent".

"The survey was conducted among 63 economists"

Even if one economist chose 'excellent', that can't be as low as 0.3 percent. It can only by zero or 1.5%.

I've never been able to trust these surveys.

I trust this survey completely. I have been here 25 years and everything start downhill in 2004. To heck with the economy and the people of Thailand. JUST GET TAKSIN BACK.

I thought he was back by proxy.

[belg]

3.83 out of 10 + 5 points just to attend = a wonderful 8.83 out of ten... B+

[AngryParent]

Aren't many solutions and plans in this country along the lines of: smile, then say Mai Penrai when ?

[MEL1]

3.83 out of 10 + 5 points just to attend = a wonderful 8.83 out of ten... B+

But 'she' did attend for one day, to vote?

9/10 for attitude for the day.

1/10 for the quiz results, unfortunately.

-mel.

[anterian]

Internationally every country seems to getting downgraded at the moment, well except for Germany.

I would like to see a survey based on more uniquely Thai factors, minimum wage (Note Malaysia has just done the same and with the same negative reactions), flood control, exchange rates, health care, education, road and rail building, corruption, law observance. Things like that.

[rubl]

Isn't it this month that the PM Yingluck government wants to present it's achievements of the first nine months of it governing? Will be interesting to compare notes then :-)

[bigbamboo]

3.83 out of 10.

That's not so bad really. You can get a Thai degree with those sort of marks.

[trainman34014]

3.83 out of 10.

That's not so bad really. You can get a Thai degree with those sort of marks.

You can get one for 0 out of ten....it justs costs more.