Poll indicates public objection to blanket amnesty for politicians

[webfact]

Poll indicates public objection to blanket amnesty for politicians
By English News



BANGKOK, Oct 25 – More than half of the Thai people disagree with a proposed blanket amnesty for leaders and politicians involved in the 2010 political unrest, according to an academic poll released today.

Bangkok University’s research centre (the Bangkok Poll) said 61.0 per cent of 1,195 respondents in Bangkok and the metropolitan area oppose pardoning hard-core leaders who instigated the months-long rally while 62.7 per cent objected to amnesty for the politicians involved in the upheaval.

Regarding amnesty for those who joined the demonstrations, 45.4 per cent agreed while 34.2 per cent disagreed.

Asked whether the Amnesty Bill should be promulgated, 55.3 per cent said the bill was for the interest of the powers that be and some political groups, while only 28.7 per cent agreed that the bill was aimed at national reconciliation.

On Thailand’s political future if the Amnesty Bill is passed into law, 41.3 per cent said it would lead to massive protest, 15.1 per cent believed it would bring peace and reconciliation to the nation, and 14.3 per cent said it would alleviate political and social tension.

Asked whether a Democrat-led demonstration against the Amnesty Bill would stop its promulgation, 46.8 per cent did not think so while just 11.6 per cent believed its impact would prevent enforcement of the bill.

On possible violence and related activities from a Democrat-led demonstration, 26.4 per cent predicted road closures and demonstrators’ movements to various locations, 24.4 per cent believed that roads would be closed, that huge numbers of people would join the demonstration which would drag on, and 15 per cent painted a grim picture of cracking down on protesters with force.

Regarding the scale of political differences among the Thai people, Bangkok Poll found that 50.4 per cent ranked the conflicts as high, 24.9 per cent medium, 21.8 per cent extremely high, while only 1.8 per cent and 1.1 per cent ranked the conflicts as low and extremely low in potential respectively. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-10-25

[rubl]

Doesn't the Thai public know they are supposed to wait till the proposed bill get accepted as law before complaining?

That's democracy (Pheu Thai version).

[bigbamboo]

It would appear the Thais are wising up.

[coma]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

[bigbamboo]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

It's a huge margin though and a large proportion of people living in Bangkok are from the provinces. Must be a worry for our leader.

[rubl]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

I agree with the sentiment on polls in Thailand. As for opinions of Thai in Bangkok, please keep in mind that a larger part of that population is from outside Bangkok.

[whybother]

Asked whether the Amnesty Bill should be promulgated, 84 per cent didn't understand the question and gave a completely unrelated answer.

Promulgate

To officially announce, to publish, to make known to the public; to formally announce a statute or a decision by a court.

Edited October 25, 2013 by whybother

[siampolee]

Certainly regarding the opinion of the villagers in our village and the surrounding villages they too consider there should be no blanket amnesty.

Perhaps it might do well for the puppet government to come to terms with the fact that they are elected public servants not Thaksin's

Nor are the electorate at large neither the puppet government or as Thaksin's and his puppet government have come to view them as his and their serfs servants either

[jonclark]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

But unfortunately as both the UDD and PAD protests have shown...If you take Bangkok, the rest of the country will fall. So without being too crude as both Taksin and Yingluck know. What people in Nakorn Nowhere do (irrespective of your promises of alliance) it ain't worth bat shit. It's what happens in Krung Thep that counts.

[marcusd]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

I agree with the sentiment on polls in Thailand. As for opinions of Thai in Bangkok, please keep in mind that a larger part of that population is from outside Bangkok.

But have not all the demonstations been in Bangkok and would not the "future events" be in Bangkok first? Whilst i was an observer from abroad last time in 2011 it was a decison maker for me to AVOID AT ALL COSTS THIALAND at the time. Friends tell me Chiang Mai was Ok but all we hear about was VIOLENCE IN BANGKOK and I fear the poll is reflecting the same again. I am happy to be advised as I have a business and I see many people here in Chaing Mai in business for MANY years (over 7 in most cases) who are considering SELLING CLOSING and moving (with the partners) as they state business is getting more FARRANG UNFRIENDLY under the PTP.

Happy to hear more..... I dunno!

[marcusd]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

But unfortunately as both the UDD and PAD protests have shown...If you take Bangkok, the rest of the country will fall. So without being too crude as both Taksin and Yingluck know. What people in Nakorn Nowhere do (irrespective of your promises of alliance) it ain't worth bat shit. It's what happens in Krung Thep that counts.

I sit on the side lines but this strategy is old and it works.

If you take the Capital the country is yours.. See Hitler, Napoleon, Caesar etc.....

[Mudcrab]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

I agree with the sentiment on polls in Thailand. As for opinions of Thai in Bangkok, please keep in mind that a larger part of that population is from outside Bangkok.

But have not all the demonstations been in Bangkok and would not the "future events" be in Bangkok first? Whilst i was an observer from abroad last time in 2011 it was a decison maker for me to AVOID AT ALL COSTS THIALAND at the time. Friends tell me Chiang Mai was Ok but all we hear about was VIOLENCE IN BANGKOK and I fear the poll is reflecting the same again. I am happy to be advised as I have a business and I see many people here in Chaing Mai in business for MANY years (over 7 in most cases) who are considering SELLING CLOSING and moving (with the partners) as they state business is getting more FARRANG UNFRIENDLY under the PTP.

Happy to hear more..... I dunno!

Me too...tell me more......

[fab4]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

I agree with the sentiment on polls in Thailand. As for opinions of Thai in Bangkok, please keep in mind that a larger part of that population is from outside Bangkok.

But have not all the demonstations been in Bangkok and would not the "future events" be in Bangkok first? Whilst i was an observer from abroad last time in 2011 it was a decison maker for me to AVOID AT ALL COSTS THIALAND at the time. Friends tell me Chiang Mai was Ok but all we hear about was VIOLENCE IN BANGKOK and I fear the poll is reflecting the same again. I am happy to be advised as I have a business and I see many people here in Chaing Mai in business for MANY years (over 7 in most cases) who are considering SELLING CLOSING and moving (with the partners) as they state business is getting more FARRANG UNFRIENDLY under the PTP.

Happy to hear more..... I dunno!

Me too...tell me more......

Let me see now, foreigner owned/run businesses considering closing or selling in Chiang Mai. Guess the Commerce Ministry won't be too worried about losing a few more bars, massage parlours and hairdressing/nail bars.

[hellodolly]

Polls in Thailand aren't worth the paper they are written on.

while 62.7 per cent objected to amnesty for the politicians involved in the upheaval.

Are they talking about the sitting PTP members who did nothing to help end the problem?

[centrala]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

The thing is...Nation-wide polling done by NIDA also had the majority of Thai people opposed to the amnesty bill.

[NongKhaiKid]

Certainly regarding the opinion of the villagers in our village and the surrounding villages they too consider there should be no blanket amnesty.

Perhaps it might do well for the puppet government to come to terms with the fact that they are elected public servants not Thaksin's

Nor are the electorate at large neither the puppet government or as Thaksin's and his puppet government have come to view them as his and their serfs servants either

Yesterday the other newspaper quoted from an interview Mr. T gave to their Thai language sister publication and he wasn't worried about dissent within PTP as he believes the party has enough support in the House to carry the vote.

He also added the push for the amnesty bill was not so it would benefit him but to carry Thailand forward and out of political conflict. I think it's fair to say if the bill is passed and there's an indication he's on the way back the country will be pushed forward to the brink of something best not contimplated.

With his arrogance and super self-confidence i can't see him considering any adverse aspect of this or any other opinion poll, it doesn't suit him so it must be wrong.

[coma]

Maybe a referendum is the call of the day then. But the problem with that being is that peoples votes can be bought and sold as has been the case in the past.

[waza]

I am guessing the PTP have lost their mandate for an amnesty bill.

[Ricardo]

The Bill's originator has said that he disagrees, with the ammendments rammed-through in-committee, to his Bill.

PTP-MPs & Red-Shirt leaders disagree, Democrat-MPs disagree & the several right-wing anti-government vehemently-disagree.

Real-PM Thaksin & faux-PM Yingluck want it, and appear to have united much of the country, on this one point ... the Thaksin Whitewash Reconciliation Amnesty Bill isn't wanted, and the likely-violence which will result from its passing may lead to a coup.

But none of this matters, because Thaksin has thought & passed-on his instructions, so his paid-minions (aka the elected-representatives of the people) will follow orders, regardless of the long-term consequences for Thailand or democracy.

When former-PM Abhisit was faced with a similar situation, he negotiated & agreed a solution with the Red-Shirt leaders, although they then followed-orders and rejected it.

So will Thaksin respond to the protests, or will he ram through his self-serving wishes, at-high-cost ?

I think most of us know the answer, already.

[Artisi]

This poll isn't worth the paper it is printed on. It reflects the opinion of Thais in Bangkok. Not the rest of the country. And we have seen in the past how wildly different opinion here can be.

It's a huge margin though and a large proportion of people living in Bangkok are from the provinces. Must be a worry for our leader.

Leader, you mean follower, don't you? Doubt she even knows about it and even less likely to care.

[bigbamboo]

Maybe a referendum is the call of the day then. But the problem with that being is that peoples votes can be bought and sold as has been the case in the past.

The current constitution was put to a referendum and the Thai people voted for it. Now certain individuals want to change it without giving the people their say.

That's about as far away from democracy as you can get.

Edited October 26, 2013 by bigbamboo

[mikemac]

I recently asked a Thai friend of mine in Chiang Mai, a civil engineer who does a lot of work in Bangkok, what he thought about this whole amnesty thing, and he thought it was a waste of time because Thaksin is too scared to come back to Thailand because he fears for his safety.

[MaiChai]

Taksin has dug himself into a big hole that he can't dig himself out of. His return would put him in great danger in lawless Thailand where he would be an easy target.

Amnesty undermines the law. I am not surprised a blanket amnesty is so opposed. No one should be above the law?