PUBLISHED : 21 Jan 2024 at 11:18
A majority of people believe convicted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra’s extended stay in Police General Hospital will not impact the government’s stability, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The poll was conducted on Jan 15-17 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18 and over of all levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country.
Asked whether controversies surrounding Thaksin’s unusually long hospital stay outside the prison would jeopardise the government’s stability, 39.62% of the interviewees think that the matter would have no impact on the government at all, whereas 15.42% foresee a serious negative impact.
A further 21.98% said the fact that Thaksin still remains in the hospital would have moderate negative consequences for the government and 18.70% anticipate a relatively small repercussion. The rest, 4.28%, had no answer or were not interested.
Asked if protests against the Department of Corrections’ decision to extend Thaksin’s hospital stay could plunge the country into another political crisis, as seen during the yellow-shirt and red-shirt demonstrations, the answers varied as follows:
– 41.60% said it would definitely not lead to a conflict on such a scale.
– 41.30% said a political row could ensue but not one as violent and deadly as in the past decade.
– 11.15% said things would definitely escalate into a nationwide crisis as seen before.
– 5.95% did not know or were not interested.