Poll points to low confidence in governments ability to deal with Covid

Thailand was first hit by the Covid-19 crisis when a Chinese visitor from Wuhan tested positive on January 12, 2020.

The online survey was conducted from August 23-26 with 1,510 respondents nationwide.

The responses to key poll questions:

▪︎ Top five demands of people in the Covid-19 era:

- 84.12 per cent want effective Covid-19 vaccines and all Thais to be vaccinated;

- 50.47 per cent said equality in receiving treatment for Covid-19;

- 43.24 per cent want frontline medical staff to be prioritised;

- 38.51 per cent want the economy to recover;

- 34.12 per cent seek medicines, protection equipment and Covid-19 test kits to be provided to people.

▪︎ Top five demands which may become true:

- 67.44 per cent said bag of relief supplies;

- 63.64 per cent said support in education fees and supplies;

- 60.92 per cent said public relations on Covid-19;

- 57.66 per cent said frontline medical staff to be prioritised;

- 48.23 per cent said cost of living reduction, such as electricity and water bills.

▪︎ Top five demands which may not become true:

- 90.64 per cent said the government's intention to tackle problems without political or corruption issues;

- 89.29 per cent said a leader who has vision and listens to public comments;

- 88.27 per cent said social equality;

- 85.94 per cent said an effective government;

- 77.71 per cent said good social welfare for all groups of people.

▪︎ Five most dependable persons:

- 68.39 per cent said themselves;

- 53.80 per cent said citizens;

- 46.06 per cent said medical staff;

- 27.96 per cent said government;

- 25.04 per cent said the Public Health Minister

Dr Kwannapha Sukkhon, Suan Dusit University Lampang Centre director, said what people want the most is effective management by the government, procurement of effective vaccines, treating all people equally and enabling economic recovering.

"The public is disappointed with the government because their move to hand out subsidies and relief supplies was not the way to solve the Covid-19 crisis," she said.

She advised the government to listen to public comments and publicise plans to tackle the Covid-19 crisis in every aspect in order to win the confidence of the people.