Srettha’s performance rating low but rising in May: Suan Dusit Poll

The prime minister and his government scored less than 5 out of 10 in the latest monthly public survey of their performance by Suan Dusit Poll.   

Respondents to May’s survey gave Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin 4.89 out of 10, up from 4.76 the previous month. The opposition scored 5.2, up from 5.06.

Conducted from May 23 to 31, the survey asked 2,352 respondents nationwide to rate 25 political indices with a score of zero to 10.

The average score across all indices in May was 4.72, up from 4.63 in April.

The following indexes rose from the previous month:

- National security: 4.92 (4.59 in April)
- Educational development: 4.85 (4.62)
- Political stability: 4.81 (4.68)
- Implementation of government policies: 4.79 (4.58)
- Government achievements: 4.74 (4.6)
- People’s lives: 4.66 (4.59)
- Economic situation: 4.64 (4.53)
- Drug suppression: 4.42 (4.36)
- Combating unemployment: 4.41 (4.29)
- Combating poverty: 4.32 (4.28)

The following indexes fell:

- People’s rights and liberties: 4.87 (4.88)
- People’s inclusion in politics: 4.87 (4.98)
- Society’s overall picture: 4.82 (5.02)
- Corruption suppression and transparency: 4.4 (4.43)

Asked to name the best-performing coalition politicians in May, respondents replied as follows:

- 45.56%: Srettha
- 29.3%: Deputy PM and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
- 25.14%: Deputy PM and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai

Best-performing opposition politicians:

- 56.77%: Pita Limjaroenrat, ex-Move Forward Party leader
- 30.11%: Move Forward MP Rangsiman Rome
- 13.12%: Move Forward leader Chaithawat Tulathon

The most popular government projects were:

- 47.61%: Price controls on diesel, cooking gas and power bills
- 37.63%: Economy and tourism stimulus measures
- 14.76%: Boosting rights of social security members to cancer treatment

A score of less than 5 for most indexes showed the public was unhappy with the government’s performance after eight months in office, said Assoc Prof Anchalee Ratana, a political science lecturer.