Charge corrupt officials but without bias: poll

Of 1,219 people nationwide, 67 per cent thought that prosecution for corruption must be applied equally to everyone, and 56 per cent said that politicians and state powers should not interfere in the justice process.

Around 54 per cent said that recent cases have drawn public attention because many defendants were public figures, and almost 52 per cent said that the cases are a warning to future politicians not to participate in graft.

The poll, entitled “What do people think about recent prominent cases”, was conducted from August 29 to September 2.

The issuance of an arrest warrant against fugitive former PM Yingluck Shinawatra particularly caught the attention of most of those surveyed, at 84 per cent. 

Almost 71 per cent were aware of the imprisonment of TV personality Sorayuth Suthassanachinda, almost 70 per cent had followed the 42-year jail sentence for ex-commerce minister Boongsong Teriyapirom and more than 54 per cent had paid attention to the 36-year imprisonment of Boonsong’s ex-deputy, Poom Sarapol.

Poom and Boonsong were sentenced on August 25 for faking a government-to-government rice deal as part of Yingluck’s rice-pledging scheme.

Asked how these cases reflect Thai society, 64 per cent said that Thai politics are doomed and should be heavily reformed, 60 per cent said that corruption occurs in every circle, 57 per cent said that corruption laws should be reinforced so that there are no loopholes, 47 per cent said that authority had been wrongly exercised and 44 per cent see political polarisation continuing.

Asked what they learnt from these prosecutions, almost 69 per cent said that the wrongdoings should be prosecuted, 62 per cent said that administration of government should be honest, and 59 per cent said that a corruption problems still exist in Thailand.

Around 54 per cent said that morality should be taught to younger generations and 49 per cent said that all sides should be urged to keep eyes open for possible corruption.