Most Thais don’t trust govt to protect national interest: survey
NIDA Poll also points to a low understanding among the public on the key issues with Cambodia
The majority of Thai voters do not trust the Pheu Thai-led government to protect national interest when it holds negotiations with Cambodia on the overlapping claims areas in the Gulf of Thailand based on a 2001 memorandum of understanding (MOU44), an opinion survey found.
The survey was carried out by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA Poll) among 1,310 respondents, at least 18 years old, nationwide on November 12-13.
The survey was carried out under the theme: “Does Anyone Understand Disputes over MOU44 and Ko Kut?”.
The Thai government is about to set up a Joint Technical Committee to negotiate with Cambodia on the overlapping sea boundary claims and the sharing of benefits from exploring oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand.
The government said the negotiations would be done on the framework set by the MoU signed in BE2544, or 2001 – the so-called MOU44. But some nationalists fear the MOU44 framework would lead to Thailand losing sovereignty over Ko Kut in Trat province to Cambodia as the marine boundaries set by the Cambodian government in the MOU44 also overlapped about half of Ko Kut.
Asked whether they understand the contentious issues in the MOU44 and Ko Kut:
- 58.86%: Don’t understand at all
- 19.31%: Don’t quite understand
- 15.65%: Have quite an understanding
- 6.18%: Completely understand
When asked whether they trust the government to protect national interest in negotiations with Cambodia based on MOU44:
- 33.68%: No trust
- 29.17%: Don’t quite trust
- 24.65%: Quite trust them
- 12.50%: Trust a lot
The respondents were also asked to gauge their own level of nationalism:
- 40.15%: High level of nationalism
- 28.24%: Depending on situation
- 15.04%: Rather a nationalist
- 7.33%: No nationalism at all
- 6.26%: Rather not a nationalist
- 2.98%: No comment.
