A majority of people agree the government should be grilled in the censure debate scheduled for July 19-22, particularly over its handling of economic problems, according to an opinion survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.
The poll was conducted online on July 4-7 on 1,021 people throughout the country to compile their opinions on the opposition's non-confidence debate against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and 10 other cabinet ministers.
A large majority of the respondents - 83.38% - said the censure was timely, while 16.62% thought otherwise. A slightly smaller majority - 71.02% - said it was interesting and they would follow it, while 28.98% said it was not.
Asked on what issues they wanted the government to be grilled, with each respondent allowed to choose more than one answer, the respondents pointed to economic problems (75.67%), high goods prices and price controls (73.49%), corruption and unfair interests (70.71%), law amendments for people's benefit (64.45%), and budget expenditure for hires, purchases and various projects (60.58%).
Asked what they wanted to see from the censure debate, 80.18% said the issues raised should be properly supported by evidence and reasons; 77.50% said debaters should be self-controlled, polite and give other people due respect; and 76.11% said the issues raised should be in the people's interests.
Asked what they did not want to see from the debate, 84.33% pointed to squabbles and unnecessary protests; 68.95% mentioned political games without care for people's feelings; and 64.84% said issues deemed irrelevant or redundant.
Asked which cabinet ministers should be grilled, 78.51% pointed to Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha; 65.17% Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon; 61.30% Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul; 50.20% Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit; and 38.59% Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob.