Tackle rising costs first: poll
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People would prefer that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra tackles economic problems as her first priority rather than seek to bring about national reconciliation, according to Abac poll results released yesterday.
Cutting the rising costs of living was what about 40 per cent of respondents wanted as a New Year gift from Yingluck. That was followed by national reconciliation, which was the second priority with 20 per cent of votes. Battling corruption was the third priority with 13 per cent, while declaring war on drugs and crime came fourth with 7 per cent. Boosting the quality of education was the fifth top concern with 6 per cent.
The New Year gift that Thais wanted from the Opposition was to stop quarrelling and joining forces with the government to solve people’s problems (about 34 per cent), national reconciliation (29 per cent), giving the government a chance to work and achieve (27 per cent) and stopping corruption (9 per cent).
The gift that Thais want from people with clout in society is for a connection between groups of people to help bring unity to the country (37 per cent). This was followed by being a role model and respectable (21 per cent), providing justice without discrimination (14 per cent) and giving cooperation to a democratic government (10 per cent) and operating without political interference (9 per cent).
Thais always match high-profile people to love each other forever. Some 96 per cent matched all groups and political colours to love one another, while 95 per cent matched the red shirts and the yellows; 80 per cent matched the PM Yingluck and Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to love each other; 76 per cent matched ex-pm Thaksin Shinawatra and Privy Council Chief General Prem Tinsulanonda, 65 per cent matched Democrat spokesman Thepthai Senpong and Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit to love each other.
The poll was conducted with 2,158 respondents in 17 provinces across the country from April 1-14.
