Junta gets thumbs down for handling of economy: Poll

The respondents hoped that in the months before the next election, the junta would do better in improving the economy and tackling bread-and-butter issues.
The survey was conducted from May 15 to 19 among 1,264 respondents from across the country
While more than three-fourths of the people surveyed saw the economy as stagnant and nearly 84 per cent called for steps to improve the situation, almost 74 per cent were happy with the junta’s success in ending political street protests.
More than 70 per cent of the people surveyed also said that there has been some improvement in curbing corruption in the past three years.
Nearly two-thirds of the respondents acknowledged the junta’s efforts to regulate order in society and their success in cracking down on forest encroachment and reclaiming forests from illegal occupants.
People said there was some progress in the past three years in following the road map (55.30 per cent) and carrying out the reform plans, including the development of the fundamental structure (52.85 per cent).
Decline, however, was seen in some areas, according to the poll. Besides the ailing economy, some 72 per cent of the respondents said law enforcement and restriction of freedom had seen deterioration.
Almost 70 per cent also complained of a drop in the prices of agricultural products.
The other areas where the poll showed public concern about deterioration were governance as well as government expenditure (60.76 per cent) and increasing violence in the South (57.91).
About 83 per cent of poll respondents hoped the government would look into welfare relief for sick and unemployed people.
Nearly three quarters said they expect less corruption, while more than 71 per cent said they wanted to see the government follow the road map and nearly 71 per cent expected legal amendments to make punishments fair and proportionate.