Most people outside Bangkok want elected provincial governors: poll
A majority of Thais want the right to vote for their provincial governors just as Bangkokians do, according to a poll by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida).
Governors for all provinces outside Bangkok are appointed by the Interior Ministry.
The poll was conducted on May 2-4 among 1,316 voters from different educational and occupational backgrounds living outside Bangkok.
Asked if they were ready to vote for provincial governors:
- 47.87 per cent said definitely ready
- 28.80 per cent said moderately ready
- 11.25 per cent said definitely not ready
- 10.56 per cent said moderately not ready
- 1.52 per cent said they did not care
Asked if governor elections should be trialled in up to five major provinces:
- 55.55 per cent strongly agreed
- 28.87 per cent moderately agreed
- 8.74 per cent strongly disagreed
- 6.38 per cent moderately disagreed
- 0.46 per cent said they did not care
Asked how they felt about the Bangkok governor election on May 22:
- 33.97 per cent said an elected governor would better fulfil people’s demands
- 20.14 per cent said they also wanted to elect their governor
- 19.15 per cent said governor candidates’ policies were just pipedreams
- 13.07 per cent said they were interested in candidates' policies
- 8.59 per cent said appointed governors were just as effective as elected governors
- 8.36 per cent said the Bangkok elections strengthened democracy
- 7.67 per cent said they were envious of Bangkokians’ right to vote for their governor
- 6.91 per cent said elected provincial governors would only represent influential people
- 5.09 per cent said elected provincial governors were unnecessary as provincial administrative organisation presidents already exist
- 1.75 per cent said governor elections in other provinces would cause social conflict