Job-approval boost for PM
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's job-approval rating has risen since January, according to an Abac poll survey released yesterday.
Yingluck’s popularity, which plunged to 35 per cent in January, rose to 42 per cent in the latest survey conducted from February 15-18 with 2,585 respondents in 17 provinces including Bangkok.
The survey showed that the number of respondents who were non-partisan dropped from 51 in the previous survey to 43 per cent.
Yingluck enjoyed more popularity among men than women, with 45 per cent of men supporting her against 39 per cent of women.
Out of ten points, respondents gave Yingluck 5.3 on their confidence in her ability to solve flood problems, while she received a 7.3 rating over her inspection of provinces to prevent flooding.
Of the respondents, 77 per cent wanted to see the premier go shopping at a fresh market to gain understanding of the problem of price increases; 65 per cent were concerned about terrorism reports in Thailand; and the ratio of people who believe information received from the US increased from 56 to 65 per cent.
Criticism of Yingluck over the Four Seasons Hotel meeting allegation did not have any adverse effect on her job-approval rating. Yingluck’s inspection tours of provinces as part of flood-prevention efforts lifted her popularity.
In response to the Valentine’s Day explosions, asked which politicians they believe would be able to solve terrorism problems in Thailand, 64 per cent of respondents backed Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, followed by Deputy Prime Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha (21 per cent) and Air Chief Marshall Sukumpol Suwanathat (12 per cent).
However, according to a Dusit Poll, confidence in the government’s ability to keep the public safe has dwindled.
Of respondents, 85 per cent were more interested in following up on reports of the explosions than in reports of the PM’s inspection tours or the Four Seasons
controversy.
Some 60 per cent said the explosions showed the government’s inefficiency and lax measures to prevent terrorism; 46 per cent said they were worried about their own safety; and 36 per cent said the incident adversely affected the country’s image, economy and tourism.
