Poll: Hold talks with Cambodia

Published: 13/11/2009

(Posted by CAAI news Media)

Thai people wished the government to hold talks over the latest conflict with Cambodia and opposed any plan to close border checkpoints, Bangkok Poll at Bangkok University reported on Friday.

The poll making unit asked 1,218 people in Bangkok, Nonthburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakarn on November 11 and 12 on their opinion about the latest conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, the trip to Cambodia by fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his recent interview with Times Online.

It found that 61.5 per cent of the respondents said the government should hold talks with the neighbour to improve relations, 20.7 per cent of them wanted the government to impose harsh retaliation measures to protect the country’s dignity, while 17.8 per cent had no idea.

Asked about the government’s decision to revoke the memorandum of understanding on the overlapping maritime boundary in the Gulf of Thailand with Cambodia, 41.2 per cent supported the move, while 36.1 per cent disagreed.

Regarding the government’s plan to cut financial support to the neighbouring country, 41.4 per cent backed the plan and 40.4 per cent opposed it.

On the government’s request for Thakin’s extradition, 55.2 per cent of the respondents supported the move, 29 per cent negative.

As high as 68.6 per cent of them opposed the idea of closing border checkpoints as it would hurt people living along the border of the two countries, only 19.8 per cent supported the idea.

Asked about Thaksin’s interview with Times Online which was said to have insulted the monarchy, 44.9 per cent of the respondents were not sure the ex-premier had said so, 35.1 per cent believed Thaksin had intentionally criticized the high institution, and 20 per cent said the in exile politician had no intention to do so.