Poll: Thais want to see reform, laws upheld

[Lite Beer]

Poll: Thais want to see reform, laws upheld

BANGKOK, 15 December 2013 (NNT) - Bangkok Poll finds that Thai people want a reform in the country, and the laws to be respected.

The survey, conducted by Bangkok University among 631 people nationwide, indicated that most of the respondents, 79.3%, said Thailand needed to be reformed. 41% said political reform should be made the nation's first priority, whereas 22.8% and 20.6% said the economy and laws should be overhauled first, respectively.

On what they wanted reformed the most, 75.4% said they wanted to see the principles of laws upheld, 67.4% wanted a reform to seriously tackle vote buying; while 67% say corruption cases should not have a statute of limitations.

32% said they wanted police to be reformed and 31.9% wanted provincial governors to come from elections.

On success of the reform, 39.6% said the civil society was an important mechanism for Thailand to reform successfully, 24.1% and 17.6% said country leaders and politicians can bring about the reform’s success, respectively. Only 7% said the military is key to leading the country to a successful reform.

-- NNT 2013-12-15

[Guest]

People want change, but what kind of change? Is there any talk what the reform should include in practical level?

[bigbamboo]

If this poll is to be believed then maybe Thais are coming round to the idea that institutionalised corruption does not have to be the norm and hope really does spring eternal.

Will make encouraging reading for the people, not so for the politicians.

Edited December 15, 2013 by bigbamboo

[Yunla]

Its a small poll group and also the number one result of 'political reform' is received during a period of total political collapse, its like polling them to see "do you like rain" during a flood.

All the improvements offered as options are good things that anyone would respond 'yes' to, in order depending on current circumstance, it isn't really a very useful survey from a purely statistical viewpoint.

From an improving society viewpoint it doesn't help either way, opinion polls and surveys are not much use in a society where the political parties do not process directives faster than snails-pace (on average) and based on their own internal agendas.

Polling / surveys are also a way of making people feel they have a say, when in fact they do not. Open channels of debate, between voters and elected officials, is far more useful. Debate on television, with unscripted Q&A, is really the way to go for citizen feedback and putting politicians 'on the spot.'

[EricBerg]

Looks like a poll with selffullfilling prophecy...

[wayned]

My wife told me today that if Yingluck ran for PM again she would vote for her. I asked her why and she said that they are all the same and it really doesn't matter, nothing will change. We live in a small village, 21 houses and there was a recent election for "Area chief", three villages. She voted for the one that gave her the most money, 300 baht I think. She truly believes that that's just the way Thai politics works and there will be no change.

[thomash]

All sounds nice but how do you actually do all this it certainly is not easy and would take many years then may not be able to do it.

[tomross46]

The laws are in the books, but with the amount of corruption, through the government, they will never be enforced. How many times has the judicial system made ruling and than the rulings are not enforced. A good example of this is the Alpine Golf Course and Housing Estate. Court rules that the land must be returned to the temple. Noting is done by the government.

[Old Man River]

The laws are in the books, but with the amount of corruption, through the government, they will never be enforced. How many times has the judicial system made ruling and than the rulings are not enforced. A good example of this is the Alpine Golf Course and Housing Estate. Court rules that the land must be returned to the temple. Noting is done by the government.

On target.

It will stay this way.

[thumper101]

My wife told me today that if Yingluck ran for PM again she would vote for her. I asked her why and she said that they are all the same and it really doesn't matter, nothing will change. We live in a small village, 21 houses and there was a recent election for "Area chief", three villages. She voted for the one that gave her the most money, 300 baht I think. She truly believes that that's just the way Thai politics works and there will be no change.

Well go back and inform your wife that she is very wrong.

This country is definitely going to make sure the likes of her can not put people into power any more for the sake of a few baht. Tell her from me that her and all her kind who are screwing this country up because of personal greed will be stamped out and that I hope to see her and her lot rotting in prison one day for vote selling.

[thumper101]

So looks like Suthep may well walk away from this as a hero of the people who has laid his ass on the line for almost 80% of the nation to enjoy a less corrupt future.

I suppose the minority who didn't want reform are those who feel they are entitled to an election payday.... Idiots.

[ginjag]

My wife told me today that if Yingluck ran for PM again she would vote for her. I asked her why and she said that they are all the same and it really doesn't matter, nothing will change. We live in a small village, 21 houses and there was a recent election for "Area chief", three villages. She voted for the one that gave her the most money, 300 baht I think. She truly believes that that's just the way Thai politics works and there will be no change.

Sorry for you, so you have a wife that condones every thing that is very wrong here. SHE IS NOT ALONE by far, but this is neglect for sheer greed. In her eyes 300 bht is so important to her that she does not give a fig how or who runs the country. Live with it my friend, but with that sort of attitude I couldn't and I wouldn't ever feel safe with a wife with this attitude as far as my finances were concerned.

[h90]

My wife told me today that if Yingluck ran for PM again she would vote for her. I asked her why and she said that they are all the same and it really doesn't matter, nothing will change. We live in a small village, 21 houses and there was a recent election for "Area chief", three villages. She voted for the one that gave her the most money, 300 baht I think. She truly believes that that's just the way Thai politics works and there will be no change.

Well go back and inform your wife that she is very wrong.

This country is definitely going to make sure the likes of her can not put people into power any more for the sake of a few baht. Tell her from me that her and all her kind who are screwing this country up because of personal greed will be stamped out and that I hope to see her and her lot rotting in prison one day for vote selling.

her and her lot rotting in prison? How do you process that? Vote buying is full scale everywhere.

The better short term solution would be: she takes the money from everyone, not making enemies and vote for whoever seems the most honest, no matter if received money.

[kurtgruen]

My wife told me today that if Yingluck ran for PM again she would vote for her. I asked her why and she said that they are all the same and it really doesn't matter, nothing will change. We live in a small village, 21 houses and there was a recent election for "Area chief", three villages. She voted for the one that gave her the most money, 300 baht I think. She truly believes that that's just the way Thai politics works and there will be no change.

300 Baht. You guys should move to Chiang Mai, where they Reds paid 800 Baht per person, in the local elections recently ;-)

[ginjag]

My wife told me today that if Yingluck ran for PM again she would vote for her. I asked her why and she said that they are all the same and it really doesn't matter, nothing will change. We live in a small village, 21 houses and there was a recent election for "Area chief", three villages. She voted for the one that gave her the most money, 300 baht I think. She truly believes that that's just the way Thai politics works and there will be no change.

Well go back and inform your wife that she is very wrong.

This country is definitely going to make sure the likes of her can not put people into power any more for the sake of a few baht. Tell her from me that her and all her kind who are screwing this country up because of personal greed will be stamped out and that I hope to see her and her lot rotting in prison one day for vote selling.

her and her lot rotting in prison? How do you process that? Vote buying is full scale everywhere.

The better short term solution would be: she takes the money from everyone, not making enemies and vote for whoever seems the most honest, no matter if received money.

Amazing, so you condone corruption, takes the money from everyone ??? no short term solution. Your government ( because you never see wrong there) are responsible for corruption, they don't stop it because it is in their personal interest. it flows through local government to this wife of a poster, they feel it's normal, and no word from you it's out of order, feel sorry for your attitude.

[kurtgruen]

As far as the poll goes, it's a very small sampling and what exactly does "Nationwide"" mean? I have no faith in polls. Most of the time, they are used only for political manipulation

[thumper101]

My wife told me today that if Yingluck ran for PM again she would vote for her. I asked her why and she said that they are all the same and it really doesn't matter, nothing will change. We live in a small village, 21 houses and there was a recent election for "Area chief", three villages. She voted for the one that gave her the most money, 300 baht I think. She truly believes that that's just the way Thai politics works and there will be no change.

Well go back and inform your wife that she is very wrong.

This country is definitely going to make sure the likes of her can not put people into power any more for the sake of a few baht. Tell her from me that her and all her kind who are screwing this country up because of personal greed will be stamped out and that I hope to see her and her lot rotting in prison one day for vote selling.

her and her lot rotting in prison? How do you process that? Vote buying is full scale everywhere.

The better short term solution would be: she takes the money from everyone, not making enemies and vote for whoever seems the most honest, no matter if received money.

This is 2013. Vote buying is done by the voter taking a photo (with their phone) of the ballot paper showing candidate voted for, and they are paid once they show that they voted the right way to get the money.

Taking the money is not the solution be it short term or whatever.

Simple legislation in place that will imprison both seller and buyer and see that candidate struck off and banned from politics for life with the biggest jail term going to them. No need to imprison the seller in reality, a simple 5000 baht fine will do, but definitely prison for the buyer and the candidate.

That would solve it overnight.

Same goes for the village chief elections. The chief with the money to buy votes, where do you think that money comes from? Most village chiefs are as poor as church mice. It comes straight from Thaksin, because if he controls all the village chiefs, the controls the way the vote goes in that village, because the chief will push all the villagers to vote a certain way.

So give the village chief a 10 year prison term. It is so simple to catch all vote buying, even poor farmers have i-Mobile smartphones with video and audio recording. They will be caught in an instant. Process the punishment with immediate effect, not 3 years of NACC investigation per case. That is a joke.

[willyumiii]

It reminded me of the attached cartoon I saw recently.

Everyone wants to fix the bad things in the government, except the bad things they benefit from!

[smutcakes]

I think most people know there is a need for a reform, but who the hell can carry out the reform when they are all as bent as nine bob notes.

The very persons who are supposed to uphold the law and be held to the highest standard, namely, the police, politicians, judges, army and all other law enforcement agencies are not only the ones who made the laws in the first place, but are at the forefront of breaking them for their own benefit. Why would any of those groups support or participate in amending the law which would negatively affect themselves, and why when they control the country would they give another group the platform to amend laws which would negatively affect them.

[DonThaiToMe]

Its a small poll group and also the number one result of 'political reform' is received during a period of total political collapse, its like polling them to see "do you like rain" during a flood.

All the improvements offered as options are good things that anyone would respond 'yes' to, in order depending on current circumstance, it isn't really a very useful survey from a purely statistical viewpoint.

From an improving society viewpoint it doesn't help either way, opinion polls and surveys are not much use in a society where the political parties do not process directives faster than snails-pace (on average) and based on their own internal agendas.

Polling / surveys are also a way of making people feel they have a say, when in fact they do not. Open channels of debate, between voters and elected officials, is far more useful. Debate on television, with unscripted Q&A, is really the way to go for citizen feedback and putting politicians 'on the spot.'

I agree. A poll made of 631 people, using leading questions doesn´t carry any weight whatsoever.

Surely these polls aren´t a vey good political tool. They are however, in my opinion, a good way to ´feel´ the political temperature.

But for a poll to have any credibility it has to be done correctly.

This was not, and have no news worth in it and shouldn´t even have been published.

[akampa]

I think this kind of change will need another kind of Nelson Mandela a person with great courage and with the backing of the country , where there is a will there is a way.

[PeterSmiles]

I agree. A poll made of 631 people, using leading questions doesn´t carry any weight whatsoever.

You're saying that a poll held among 0.001 % of the population is not reliable ?

[thumper101]

I think this kind of change will need another kind of Nelson Mandela a person with great courage and with the backing of the country , where there is a will there is a way.

Another Nelson Mandela?

Thailand already got rid of one terrorist, sort of. They don't need another one.

[Robby nz]

I think most people know there is a need for a reform, but who the hell can carry out the reform when they are all as bent as nine bob notes.

The very persons who are supposed to uphold the law and be held to the highest standard, namely, the police, politicians, judges, army and all other law enforcement agencies are not only the ones who made the laws in the first place, but are at the forefront of breaking them for their own benefit. Why would any of those groups support or participate in amending the law which would negatively affect themselves, and why when they control the country would they give another group the platform to amend laws which would negatively affect them.

Absolutely right on smutcakes which means the power to decide on changes in ways to uphold the law and enforce it with fairness and prevent corruption must be taken away from those who benefit from most from things as they are.

Any group, committee, forum, call it what you want must comprise those who don't benefit from the system as is and wont benefit personaly from any changes.

First they need to look into what needs changing in detail, work out how these changes can be implemented then set out a program for doing it, than when all the details are sorted it should go to the people in a referendum.

Can people be found who could, would, do that ?

In a nation of 65 million sure they can be found,

And no good saying "We will do it after an election" and hope it gets forgotten.

People have woken up now and reform is not going to go away.

[kurnell]

300 baht. Is that it? How far does that go today? How many votes do you need to buy to win an election?

[Tchooptip]

My wife told me today that if Yingluck ran for PM again she would vote for her. I asked her why and she said that they are all the same and it really doesn't matter, nothing will change. We live in a small village, 21 houses and there was a recent election for "Area chief", three villages. She voted for the one that gave her the most money, 300 baht I think. She truly believes that that's just the way Thai politics works and there will be no change.

And my wife asks every day "Why Yingluk not stop working?"

And she truly believes its a shame to buy votes...So :-)

[robblok]

I think most people know there is a need for a reform, but who the hell can carry out the reform when they are all as bent as nine bob notes.

The very persons who are supposed to uphold the law and be held to the highest standard, namely, the police, politicians, judges, army and all other law enforcement agencies are not only the ones who made the laws in the first place, but are at the forefront of breaking them for their own benefit. Why would any of those groups support or participate in amending the law which would negatively affect themselves, and why when they control the country would they give another group the platform to amend laws which would negatively affect them.

Absolutely right on smutcakes which means the power to decide on changes in ways to uphold the law and enforce it with fairness and prevent corruption must be taken away from those who benefit from most from things as they are.

Any group, committee, forum, call it what you want must comprise those who don't benefit from the system as is and wont benefit personaly from any changes.

First they need to look into what needs changing in detail, work out how these changes can be implemented then set out a program for doing it, than when all the details are sorted it should go to the people in a referendum.

Can people be found who could, would, do that ?

In a nation of 65 million sure they can be found,

And no good saying "We will do it after an election" and hope it gets forgotten.

People have woken up now and reform is not going to go away.

Problem is YL her owner wants it to go away. Change is in his disadvantage. Actually its in the disadvantage of most corrupt politicians, I am sure that more then a few yellow ones hope that this change never happens.

But even if an idiot like Suthep brings change it should be welcomed.

[Robby nz]

Problem is YL her owner wants it to go away. Change is in his disadvantage. Actually its in the disadvantage of most corrupt politicians, I am sure that more then a few yellow ones hope that this change never happens.

But even if an idiot like Suthep brings change it should be welcomed.

Yes there is going to be huge opposition from those who are now in caretaker power and their boss for if the correct changes are put in place he will never get his amnesty.

That of course is why "We will do it after the elections" for they are sure they will win, but then again they have only won 1 out of 5 since the general election and this time the yellows wont be told not to vote.

Don't know why you keep calling Suthep an idiot, take a look at what he has achieved in a month and a half.

[robblok]

Problem is YL her owner wants it to go away. Change is in his disadvantage. Actually its in the disadvantage of most corrupt politicians, I am sure that more then a few yellow ones hope that this change never happens.

But even if an idiot like Suthep brings change it should be welcomed.

Yes there is going to be huge opposition from those who are now in caretaker power and their boss for if the correct changes are put in place he will never get his amnesty.

That of course is why "We will do it after the elections" for they are sure they will win, but then again they have only won 1 out of 5 since the general election and this time the yellows wont be told not to vote.

Don't know why you keep calling Suthep an idiot, take a look at what he has achieved in a month and a half.

He has achieved a lot, I wont deny that but he is also no saint and he is being to extreme. It looks too much as if he wants to hold on to power as a dictator. If he just comes out better and less extreme he would have much more support.

[scorecard]

Its a small poll group and also the number one result of 'political reform' is received during a period of total political collapse, its like polling them to see "do you like rain" during a flood.

All the improvements offered as options are good things that anyone would respond 'yes' to, in order depending on current circumstance, it isn't really a very useful survey from a purely statistical viewpoint.

From an improving society viewpoint it doesn't help either way, opinion polls and surveys are not much use in a society where the political parties do not process directives faster than snails-pace (on average) and based on their own internal agendas.

Polling / surveys are also a way of making people feel they have a say, when in fact they do not. Open channels of debate, between voters and elected officials, is far more useful. Debate on television, with unscripted Q&A, is really the way to go for citizen feedback and putting politicians 'on the spot.'

I agree. A poll made of 631 people, using leading questions doesn´t carry any weight whatsoever.

Surely these polls aren´t a vey good political tool. They are however, in my opinion, a good way to ´feel´ the political temperature.

But for a poll to have any credibility it has to be done correctly.

This was not, and have no news worth in it and shouldn´t even have been published.

You mentioned leading questions.

For educational purposes I would like to see the questions, can you please a link or whatever to the questions