Most happy since NCPO takeover, latest poll shows

The latest survey, conducted on 2,091 people from July 1-5, found that 88.5 per cent of respondents were happier seeing peace in the country and many problems being solved. Some 68 per cent said they have returned to normal life.

The survey found that 93.5 per cent of the respondents enjoy a "better atmosphere" at home because they don't worry about the safety of their family any more, while 79 per cent said they have more time to do activities with their family after office hours or school.

Around 90 per cent of the respondents said they were |happy among their friends and |relatives because they had parties and were not serious about the national situation. 

About 85 per cent said they listened more to one another, and 68 per cent said they think about a |feeling of unity.

Meanwhile, another opinion |survey found that the majority of Thais blame political conflict for the country's lagging development.

The Master Poll survey of the Thai Researchers in Community Happiness Association was conducted among 2,158 people from around the country from June 30 until Saturday.

Its results were announced by Assoc Professor Chet Ratchadaphannathikul yesterday.

To an open-ended question - in which each respondent could give more than one answer - 82.4 per cent blamed political conflict for Thailand's failure to develop as |anticipated.

Some 80.6 per cent of respondents blamed corruption while 78 per cent blamed the failed education system, and 62.7 per cent said a failed justice system was responsible for the country's lack of due development. Political ignorance was also cited by 61.5 per cent of respondents for the lack of development.

Chet said 91 per cent of respondents would like to see more transparency in development projects while 8.7 per cent disagreed. Up to 89 per cent of respondents would like to have a say in|performance assessment of state agencies serving the public - police, hospitals, schools, district offices and local administrations. 

The remaining 10.8 per cent said they would not want to take part in such an assessment.

In another open-ended question as to what they would like to see improvement in another year, 88.5 per cent said they would like to see a better economic system. 

They said the current system saw advantage being taken of consumers - for example, with the cost of |energy, which was too high.

And 83.5 per cent of respondents said they would like to see improvement in corruption suppression, while 80.1 per cent would like to experience a better democratic system. 

Among other issues, vote-buying, corruption, power concentration among certain clans, conflict of interest and vested interest were cited as current political problems.

The poll found 72.3 per cent would like to see an improved education system and 69.2 per cent desired a better judicial system.

Asked which specific corruption issue they would like to see the NCPO tackle, 86.7 per cent cited corruption in the rice-pledging scheme. Corruption in the energy business came second with 81.5 per cent of respondents citing it, while corruption in government construction projects came third with 78.7 per cent of respondents listing it.