Many people approve of some changes being made to the cabinet line-up, with new faces in the economic, education and security portfolios seen as most desirable, Bangkok Poll said on Friday.
The Research Centre at the Bangkok University, or Bangkok Poll, surveyed 1.123 people aged 18 or more between March 19 and March 21 March, in Bangkok and nearby provinces, on possible changes to the cabinet and the issue of a "reserve" prime minster .
The pollster reported that 55.1% of the respondents said they had heard about possible cabinet changes from the news, but 44.9% were had no idea at all.
Even so, 41.8% of respondents preferred minor changes to the cabinet, to put the most suitable person in the job, 30.3% wanted a major change, 25% said it is only necessary to fill the vacancy left by the death of tourism and sports minister Chumpol Silpa-archa and 2.9% said there should be no reshuffle at this time.
Asked which cabinet members they feel should be replaced if there is a reshuffle, 41% said economic ministers, 13.1% education affairs ministers, 12.8% security ministers, 6.8% said the social affairs minister and 5.8% said transport related ministers.
On their expectations after a reshuffle, if there is one, 50% of the respondents said the government's performance would improve, 44.3% did not expect any change and 5.7% said it would get worse.
Asked about the government’s popularity if the Matchima faction of the Bhumjaithai Party were invited to join the coalition, 57.6% said it would be the same, 25.1% said it would be better and 17.3% said its popularity would drop.
Questioned whether the resignation of Pheu Thai MP for Chiang Mai Kasem Nimmlrat had a hidden political agenda, 34.6% said yes, 33.6% said it might have and 7% said no.
Asked whether they believed Yaowapa Wongsawat, elder sister of the prime minister and wife of former prime minister Somchai, would likely become premier in the event of a political "accident", 56.3% of the respondents said they did not think so, and 43.7% of them said yes.