People have mixed reactions to the departure of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), which will end its duties once a new cabinet has been sworn in, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The poll was conducted on May 23-24 on 1,257 people aged 18 and over of various occupations and levels of education throughout the country to compile their opinions on the departure of the NCPO.
The respondents had mixed reactions to the milestone, with 24.50% saying that they are glad to see the end of the NCPO as it should have gone long ago; 23.79% are indifferent; 13.84% would like to thank the NCPO for taking care of the country over the past five years; 13.29% said the NCPO should continue to function; 9.55% said they feel old-styled political chaos is returning; 9.07% feel the country's economy is improving; 8.19% feel the country is becoming truly democratic; and 5.33% said the country has wasted its opportunities for the past five years.
On the level of happiness in Thailand after five years of NCPO rule, 44.63% said it has remained unchanged regarding their livelihoods and the cost of living; 33.73% said their happiness has dropped because of the poor economy, high cost of living, low farm prices, ineffective law enforcement, restriction of rights and freedoms and lack of democratic stability; and 21.64% said their happiness has increased under the NCPO because it brought peace, order and no political unrest.
Asked which factors have made them happy during the five years under the NCPO, 48.69% cited the lack of political unrest; 30.50% said they can't cite anything that has made them happy; 5.81% the NCPO's attempts to reduce the cost of living; 4.46% the restoration of social order; 2.94% suppression of corruption; 2.47% the overall attempt to solve economic problems; 2.15% the handling of farmers' problems; 0.95% the handling of crime; 0.32% greater freedoms; and 1.66% various projects, including transport, state welfare cards and allowances for the eldery.
Asked about factors they have not been happy with, 38.82 cited economic problems; 16.31% said nothing has made them unhappy; 14.00% cited the remaining problems of farmers; 9.47% the high cost of living; 9.07% living without an elected government; 5.09% corruption; 2.55% crime; 1.51% restrictions on freedom of the mass media; 0.95% the lack of order at public places such as beaches and pavements; and 2.23% drugs and other problems.