60.30% of Thais will not confront powerful people, almost 40% doubt police sincerity: Nida poll
The National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) recently conducted a survey on public sentiments concerning influential figures and state officials and learned most people are afraid of conflicts.
Its key findings show that 60.30% of the public is afraid of having problems with influential figures, while 38.93% have little or no faith in police or state officials.
The survey, carried out from September 12 to 14, covered individuals aged 18 and above, from all parts of the nation and with diverse backgrounds, occupations and income levels. The sample size was 1,310 people, and the survey employed random sampling techniques, ensuring a confidence level of 97%.
Here are some highlights:
Who can be considered influential?
49.54%: Nobody
26.34%: Local politicians
15.95%: Village chiefs, sub-district heads and assistant village chiefs
15.80%: Police
13.21%: Government officials at central, regional and local levels
12.14%: Major business operators, both legal and illegal
6.03%: General business operators
5.95%: National-level politicians
5.04%: Local mafia or gangsters
4.81%: Military officials
2.44%: Community committee chairpersons
0.76%: Mass media and entertainment celebrities
0.38%: Do not know/no response/not interested
(Respondents were allowed to choose more than one answer.)
Would you engage in a conflict with an influential figure?
60.30%: Reluctant
16.34%: Will not
12.75%: Not afraid to
9.08%: Reluctant, but unafraid
1.53%: Do not know/no response/not interested
How much trust do you have in law enforcement?
38.93%: No trust at all
37.10%: Not confident
13.51%: Somewhat confident
9.92%: Very confident
0.54%: Do not know/no response/not interested
Are some police and state officials in the pockets of influential figures?
59.77%: Yes
26.49%: Somewhat
8.32%: Not really
4.35%: Not at all.
1.07%: Do not know/no response/not interested
