public not happy with govt

Local News

Poll reveals public not happy with govt

Writer: POST REPORTERS

Published: 1/08/2009 at 12:00 AM

The Democrat-led coalition government barely won public approval for its performance over the past six months, a recent poll reveals.

The coalition scored 6.39 out of 10 for its performance in its first six months in office in a Suan Dusit Poll.

The government was slightly more popular upcountry than in Bangkok, despite the capital being a key Democrat stronghold. Bangkok respondents gave the government 6.05 while it scored 6.52 overall in other provinces.

The poll was released yesterday before the government's announcement of its achievements planned for Monday. (see details in graphic)

''Overall, the government's performance over the past six months received just a passing grade,'' said Suan Dusit Poll director Sukhum Chaleysub. ''People were still not satisfied.''

The government's main policy thrust has been to revitalise the slumping economy. It gave 2,000-baht cheques to millions of low-income earners earlier this year to boost consumption. It also introduced free education up to the age of 15 years, and subsidised utility bills and some transport services to ease the financial burden of the public.

Populist policies could cause the public to become dependent on government handouts, obstructing long-term development, Mr Sukhum said.

The free education policy was the most popular with respondents.

The Education Ministry topped the poll, while the Commerce Ministry scored the lowest.

Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit gave officials credit for the Education Ministry's popularity.

Providing free schooling was not a populist policy, he said, it was an in vestment in the country's future human capital.

Commerce Minister Porntiva Nakasai said she was not panicked or discouraged by the poll results.

The ministry had encountered difficulties which affected its performance over the past six months, such as depressed farm commodity prices and slumping exports.

Many projects lacked public or budgetary support, she said.

Planned measures, such as those to support exporters, would improve the ministry's popularity over the next six months, she said.

(www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/21283/poll-reveals-public-not-happy-with-govt)