Thais against vote-buying, parties to woo voters, survey finds

Most Thais are against the buying of votes and election candidates throwing banquets and parties to woo voters, a poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) revealed on Sunday.

Some 1,329 respondents aged 18 and above were asked whether “selling votes is legal” in the survey conducted between March 15 and 18.

The responses were as follows:

Are votes being sold in national and local elections

Strongly believe: 76.75%

Believe: 16.33%

Strongly do not believe: 3.46%

Do not believe: 3.31%

Do not care: 0.15%

Can the vote-buying issue be solved?

Strongly do not believe: 63.92%

Do not believe: 17.76%

Believe: 11.46%

Strongly believe: 6.62%

Do not care: 0.24%

Should vote-buying be made legal?

Strongly disagree: 71.93%

Strongly agree: 12.27%

Disagree: 8.50%

Agree: 6.77%

Do not care: 0.53%

Can election candidates legally throw banquets to woo voters

Strongly disagree: 59.44%

Strongly agree: 14.52%

Agree: 13.02%

Disagree: 11.89%

Do not care: 1.13%

Can election candidates legally hold entertainment events to woo voters

Strongly disagree: 61.17%

Strongly agree: 13.54%

Agree: 12.27%

Disagree: 12.19%

Do not care: 0.83%

Should opinion polls be hidden seven days before voting begins

Strongly disagree: 42.06%

Strongly agree: 28.97%

Agree: 15.80%

Disagree: 10.99%

Do not care: 2.18%