OPINION SURVEY
The government's popularity has taken a battering with Bangkok residents unhappy with its performance over the last three months, an opinion survey has found.
The poll by Bangkok University found that 77.7% of respondents gave the thumbs down to the government's handling of the economy and the rising cost of living.
The pollsters questioned 1,228 people in Bangkok from April 25 to 29 to appraise the performance of the Samak Sundaravej government, which celebrates three months in office tomorrow.
Mr Samak came in at the lowest end of the popularity scale. The lowest was Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who scored only 3.39 out of 10, followed by Mr Samak on 4.04. Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, who has maintained a low profile since he was sworn in, was rated at 4.05.
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| Samak: Low approval rating |
The top three ministers were Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan with 4.96, followed by Tourism and Sports Minister Veerasak Kowsurat (4.93) and Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Somsak Prissananantakul (4.91).
The government's performance was rated poorly, with 75.2% saying they were disappointed with its way of dealing with the southern unrest, while 71.8% said the government's anti-corruption effort left much to be desired.
Some 65.8% thought the government did not do enough to encourage national unity, and 62.7% were dissatisfied with its efforts to solve the drugs problem.
Nakarin Mektrairat, a political analyst at Thammasat University, said he was not surprised by the public's dissatisfaction with the government. Most cabinet members had been inactive, with only a handful dedicated to their work.
State mechanisms lacked the teamwork to implement government policy and the head of government himself lacked the leadership skills necessary to get the job done, he said.
Mr Nakarin said the government had trouble with its priorities. It should focus on easing economic hardship, rather than concern itself with political issues such as amending the constitution.
Economic problems were complex involving internal and external problems and careful preparations were needed to deal with them, he added.
Agriculture Minister Somsak welcomed the results, saying the ministers who failed to satisfy people must work harder.
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