Nida Poll says 72 percent of people want senators to represent all stakeholder groups

BANGKOK: Over 72 percent of respondents to Nida Poll want senators to represent all groups of stakeholders and over 51 of them want honesty to be the main characteristic of senators.

The above result is just some of the opinions expressed by 1,250 respondents polled by National Institute Development Administration during November 30 and December 1. The respondents are aged above 18 and represent different professions and occupations.

The followings are results of the Nida Poll: 42.24 percent want senators to screen bills only; 25.60 percent want senators to have the power to impeach MPs too and 22.96 percent want senators to have the right to propose bills too.

As for the qualifications of senators, 51.28 percent want senators to be honest; 24.08 percent want them to be widely recognized and 23.44 percent want them to be politically neutral.

Regarding their origin; 72.16 percent want senators to represent all groups of stakeholders; 16.42 percent want them to come from academics and 9 percent want them to represent all professional groups.

About the number of senators, 37.8 percent said there should be only 150 senators; 25.76 percent that they should number only 100.

Regarding the term in office, 73.84 percent favour four years term and 10.96 percent want their term to last six years.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nida-poll-says-72-percent-of-people-want-senators-to-represent-all-stakeholder-groups

-- Thai PBS 2015-12-06

1250 of 68000000???

72% of less than 0.1% of the population.

Hard to read into this survey as to what "senators to represent all groups of stakeholders" means.

To represent all groups of stakeholders might mean 100% direct election of the senators by a electorate constituency.

The senate would not, as devised by Meechai, be subdivided into 20+ "professional registered groups" wherein each group would elect its senator. If this intrepretation of the survey is correct, the survey contradicts the approval of an indirect elected senate endorsed by veteran senators (The Nation 2015-12-07).

However, the NCPO seems to want the senate to be an exclusive club outside the reach of the general Thai electorate. I can't see Meechai giving up on an indirect elected senate nor any power to legislate and impeach.