Price controls top Thais' New Year wishlist: Govt survey
The majority of people in Thailand want the government to relieve their financial burdens, according to a National Statistical Office survey published on Wednesday.
The survey on "New Year's gifts" people want from the government was conducted from October 17-31 on 6,970 people aged 15 or above. The survey found that:
91.1% wanted prices of consumer products controlled
67% wanted lower electricity and water bills
30% wanted agriculture issues tackled, including low crop prices, high fertiliser prices and more market channels
23.4% wanted unemployment issues tackled
Asked which measures benefit people the most:
75.8% said Khon La Khrueng (Let's Go Halves)
69.9% said the state welfare card
59.2% said the electricity bill cut
25.1% said Rao Chana (We Win)
14.8% said Mor33 Rao Rak Kan (Section33 We Love Each Other)
Asked if they were satisfied with the govenment's management:
42.1% said very satisfied
41% said moderately satisfied
14.7% said less satisfied
2.2% said not satisfied
62.2% of people in the South were "very satisfied" with the govenment's management compared to 22.2% in Bangkok.The majority of people who were very satisfied with the govenment's management were also aged over 40.
Asked if they were satisfied by the government's economic crisis management:
35.4% said very satisfied
40.8% said moderately satisfied
20.6% said less satisfied
3.2% said not satisfied
54.8% in the South were "very satisfied" with the govenment's economic crisis management compared to 19% in Bangkok.The majority of those very satisfied were aged over 40.
Respondents were also asked for their advice for the government. Popular advice included launching measures to cut electricity and water bills, control consumer product prices and increase subisidy under the Khon La Khrueng scheme. To create jobs, it should promote domestic tourism, grant soft loans and seek market channels for agriculture products.The government should also do more to combat drug abuse narcotics by building unity in communities, creating awareness on prevention and enforcing laws strictly to punish people involved in narcotics.The government should cooperate with private and public sectors to mitigate impacts on people from flood, fire and other disasters.The government should also issue public warnings over various types of scams and channels for complaints, such as Online Complaint Centre's 1212 hotline and the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau's 1441 hotline, respondents said.
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