The current economic crisis could possibly lead to dissolution of the House of Representatives, according to a survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.
The poll was conducted online on Feb 14-17 on 1,148 people throughout the country to compile their opinions on how the economic situation had affected their livelihoods.
The respondents said the crisis had forced them to become thrifty and adjust their spending plans (62.76%); goods prices had risen, resulting in a higher cost of living (60.12%); their earnings had dropped (59.07%); they had to seek loans and go into debt (57.22%); and they had to work harder to get supplementary income (54.58%).
Asked whether they found government subsidy programmes such as co-payments and state welfare cards helpful, 63.21% said they were of some help and 22.83% said they were very helpful. The rest, 13.96%, said they were of little help.
Asked how the economic crisis had affected the government, 78.82% said it had shaken its stability and could possibly lead to a dissolution of the House of Representatives; 76.54% said the people had lost confidence in the government; 72.41% said foreign investors and businessmen had lost confidence; 70.04% said the crisis had caused the government to come under attack; and 57.73% said the government had increased borrowing to offset revenue shortages.
On the possibility of the House of Representatives being dissolved before the government ended its term, a majority, 59.88%, said this was possible while the rest said this was unlikely.