Most Thais believe US takes side in Thailand's politics

[Lite Beer]

Most Thais believe US takes side in Thailand's politics

BANGKOK: -- An opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration found that up to 62.24 per cent of respondents do not believe that the US government was not taking side in Thai politics.

The NIDA Pollster asked 1,250 people whether they believed Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel's statement that the US did not take side in Thai politics.

The survey found that only 17.52 per cent believed Russel and the rest were not sure. The survey was carried out on Monday and Tuesday.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Most-Thais-believe-US-takes-side-in-Thailands-poli-30253124.html

-- The Nation 2015-02-01

[Tonawatchee]

Was this pole taken throughout the country or just in the local area of the powers that be....?

[Anthony5]

Is the US or any other government or individual not entitled to take a side, or do they have only once choice, and otherwise qualify for an attitude adjustment?

Edited February 1, 2015 by Anthony5

[dinger]

17.52% believe and the rest were not sure. So how do you get to 62.24% that don't believe?

[Just1Voice]

17.52% believe and the rest were not sure. So how do you get to 62.24% that don't believe?

Creative "Thai Math".

[BigBadGeordie]

Was this pole taken throughout the country or just in the local area of the powers that be....?

I too would be facinated to know where they found 1250 who knew anything about this issue.

[iReason]

Jeez, another instant knee-jerk "poll" of propaganda.

Even if it were real, these mutton heads need to understand 62.24 per cent does not constitute "most" in anything.

[lovetotravel]

Of course the US is taking sides. They support democracy and Yingluck was the democratically elected PM, for better or worse. The US doesn't like coups. Nor do the pretty much the rest of the Western countries.

[rijb]

That's ridiculous. The US wouldn't take sides, anymore than the junta would.

[kmj]

Most Thais are more interested why lottery tickets have gone back up to 120 baht again, after the PM fixed the over pricing problem,they are in Cha am anyway 5555

[worgeordie]

Of course the US is taking sides. They support democracy and Yingluck was the democratically elected PM, for better or worse. The US doesn't like coups. Nor do the pretty much the rest of the Western countries.

Although the US has backed many coups,and works behind the scenes to distablise countries ,

that do not follow their line of thinking.think C.I.A.

Diplomats are supposed to be neutral, and not express there views openly, what they say in private

is different

regards worgeordie

[RKASA]

And according to must in the past it was the side of the military that they took. That was never really true ether but what is the point of explaining anything to those that already decide things on the basis of personnel convenience anyway.

Painting pictures of reality for the blind is a complete waste of time.

[Jaygee]

Most Thais are more interested why lottery tickets have gone back up to 120 baht again, after the PM fixed the over pricing problem,they are in Cha am anyway 5555

This has potential to make problems !!!!

[Nakajima]

Poll 1250 people, report "most Thais".

[JackJD]

TYPICAL RIDICULOUS UNSCIENTIFIC POLL!

"The survey found that only 17.52 per cent believed Russel and the rest were not sure".

"THE REST" HAD NO CLUE WHAT WAS BEING ASKED!

[lovetotravel]

Of course the US is taking sides. They support democracy and Yingluck was the democratically elected PM, for better or worse. The US doesn't like coups. Nor do the pretty much the rest of the Western countries.

Although the US has backed many coups,and works behind the scenes to distablise countries ,

that do not follow their line of thinking.think C.I.A.

Diplomats are supposed to be neutral, and not express there views openly, what they say in private

is different

regards worgeordie

Excellent point. Unfortunately, no country is neutral politically. And the view of the US is Yingluck was democratically elected. Again, for better or worse. The US wanted Thailand to settle this in the polls, not via a coup. They've made this quite clear as has the EU. Both are very public about their view on this.

[Suffinator]

Another totally meaningless poll. I wonder what the polls will look like once the US starts placing sanctions on Thailand.

[Snig27]

Another totally meaningless poll. I wonder what the polls will look like once the US starts placing sanctions on Thailand.

Indeed - the bizarre thing is the manufacturers of these endless absurd "polls' are dim enough to think that anyone pays any attention of them or regards them as in any way credible.

The creeping levels levels of discontent in the country must really have the guys with the tanks and their bosses a little rattled - these "polls" are arriving more and more frequently. A suggestion to them, not that they care or are listening of course, is that to make these things even slightly credible you need have a slightly less than overwhelmingly one sided result as people are rarely split that way. Doing it this way is the domain of North Korea, Zimbabwe, Iraq (under Saddam) and other similarly suspect and paranoid regimes.

And the numbers HAVE to tally up.

[tbthailand]

who cares...

[oneday]

Nobody...the Thai military government or the Thai people understand that the US is taking sides --- the SIDE of the THAI people.

All the US wants to see is a Democratically elected government by the people and for the people. It is really that simple. Everything else said leads directly back to this. For instance, is keeping martial law in place for too long, not good...most likely yes, because it delays getting back to a Democratically elected government and the longer martial law lasts the easier it is to keep it in place. Everything Russel said was about seeing Democracy come back to Thailand and for the people to have a say in how they are governed.

[ravip]

Ever found a politician on this planet who is not biased?

[Lupatria]

There is an easy way out for the US of this naming and gaming and inappropriate interference in Thai "politics" game.

Tell the Thai population: "Evil spirits made us do this" you would save face and the other side will joyfully accept it.

[Strangebrew]

Breaking News Flash : Harris poll taken in US says 99% of Americans can careless what the bias Thai poll says but 100% agreed that 200 baht was way to much for Thai TAT.

[rainman333]

the poll question lookes something like this:

Poll:

check this box if you want 30bht

check this box if you want to goto jail

[bassman]

Poll "found that up to 62.24 per cent of respondents do not believe that the US government was not taking side in Thai politics.

What a confusing poll question and results. Using a near double negative question to begin with and if you were clueless to the question/issue than it was determined that you must agree that the US was taking sides. On top of that the poll states up to 62.24 %, what an exact number for an "up to" finding.

Maybe we are missing some of the pieces to this puzzle like the calculations that might have excluded the clueless. Anyway I'm surprised the number was not closer to 90% considering other polls seen recently. Or what is even as probable just real crap reporting that left out critical details.

Should make a good headline to advertise a point written in Bold letters and posted on a page adjacent to the lucky numbers, doubt that many would read the article anyway, but the headline might get absorbed.

[CaptHaddock]

Why would anyone believe NIDA in any case, since they were firmly on the anti-democracy side during the runup to the coup? If I wanted to know what Thais really think I wouldn't be asking NIDA.

[Thai at Heart]

Many Thais also believe in fate and ghosts....

[asiamaster]

Excellent point. Unfortunately, no country is neutral politically. And the view of the US is Yingluck was democratically elected. Again, for better or worse. The US wanted Thailand to settle this in the polls, not via a coup. They've made this quite clear as has the EU. Both are very public about their view on this.

If any institution is not democratic it would be the EU

[MisterStretch]

Most Thais don't understand that the average American doesn't give a shit what happens here.

They are blinded by the fact that their universe is Thailand.

The rest of the universe knows that Thailand is merely a pimple.

[stickyrice2000]

US wants to deal with elected government, not a coup leader. If most people are supportive of the junta, it is time for election to prove it.

Edited February 1, 2015 by stickyrice2000