A majority of people believe the mobile cabinet meetings scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in the northeastern provinces of Ubon Ratchathani and Amnat Charoen have a political agenda, saying the government wants to expand its support base as well as gauge people's opinions, according to Suan Dusit Poll.
The poll was conducted on July 17-21 on 1,132 people throughout the country to compile their opinions following criticism that the meetings have a political agenda.
A majority - 61.21% - agreed that this cabinet trip has a political agenda, reasoning that the government wants to gauge people's opinions about its performance in the run-up to the forthcoming election, given growing competition in the political arena. However, 38.79% thought otherwise, saying that the government is already powerful enough and only wants to know more about people's needs.
On a suggestion that this mobile cabinet trip is intended to poach former MPs to join pro-military parties, almost half the respondents - 47.70% - said they are uncertain because they have not seen clear evidence of former MPs being poached; 31.01% agreed, saying that the government wants to expand its support base; and 21.29% disagreed, reasoning that former MPs can make their own decisions and the government would not be able to poach them in such a short period.
Asked whether local politicians should meet government officials in person, 52.01% said they should not do so in order to stay neutral and avoid being attacked, while 47.99% said they should meet them, reasoning that they can exchange opinions and voice people's grievances to the government.
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