Most Thai people closely followed the presidential election in the United States and hope the new president will be a good leader for his country and the world, according to an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.
The poll was conducted online on Nov 13-18 on 1,038 people throughout the country.
A majority, 89.98%, were interested -- 58.38% moderately and 31.60% highly -- in the US presidential election and followed the election news, while 10.02% were not interested.
When asked why the US presidential election was interesting to them, with respondents allowed to give more than one answer, 73.80% said the election has significant impact on the world economy; 60.75% said the US is a world superpower; and 49.17% said they wanted to know who would win.
Asked how hey thought the Thai economy would fare after the US presidential election, 48.36% thought it would improve; 47.11% believed it would stay the same; and 4.53% thought it would get worse.
Asked what lessons from the US presidential election could apply to Thai politics and society, with respondents allowed to give more than one answer, 60.84% pointed to the election of a country's leader by the people; 56.74% the people's high awareness of their right to vote; and 53.42% the democratic system.
Finally, most of the respondents -- 64.73% -- wanted whoever is the new US President to be a good leader for his country and the world; 61.48% wanted him to forge friendships and good relations with other countries; and 57.73% wanted him to refrain from taking advantage of and suppressing other countries while adhering to human rights principles.