Thais see no serious threat to government from Thaksin controversy: poll
The return of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is currently undergoing treatment at the Police General Hospital, would not affect the present coalition government or lead to big protests, according to the recent Nida Poll.
The National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA)'s poll surveyed 1,310 people from January 15-17 aged 18 years and above from all regions, education levels, occupations, and income levels.
The survey showed that 39.62% of respondents believed Thaksin's case would not affect the government, 21.98% stated that it would “somewhat” affect the government's survival, 18.70% said it does not significantly impact the government's survival, while 15.42% believed that it would greatly affect the government's survival.
When asked about the possibility of an escalation in protests demanding the return of Thaksin to prison, causing a new political crisis, similar to past protests like the yellow and red shirts, and People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), 41.60% stated that it would definitely not lead to a new political crisis.
Around 41.30% said that it might lead to a new political crisis, but not as serious as in the past, and 11.15% saw the likelihood of a new political crisis similar to the past.
