A total of 47.7 per cent of the respondents said Thaksin should not have done it because it was not good for the country, according to the results of the Abac Poll released yesterday.

They said such an allegation would cause a further rift in society and worsen the political situation, said Noppadon Kannika, director of Assumption University's Abac Poll Research Centre.

Thaksin's action was approved by 20.9 per cent of the respondents, while 31.4 per cent had no comment.

The survey covered 1,231 residents of Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

Thaksin told a gathering of high-ranking bureaucrats at Government House last Thursday that political confusion persisted "because charismatic people and some organisations outside of those sanctioned by the Constitution are trying to impose changes, even though they do not have any mandate to do so".

Almost 60 per cent of the respondents said they believed Thaksin was referring to Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda, while 30.5 per cent said it was government critic Sondhi Limthongkul.

They were split almost equally on the question of whether they agreed with Thaksin's decision to restart his Saturday morning radio programme.

The "Prime Minister Thaksin Talks to the People" programme was halted in late February during the run-up to the April 2 general election.

About 45 per cent of respondents said they disagreed with Thaksin's return to the airwaves because it could be viewed as campaigning.

However, 43.6 per cent said they supported his move because they wanted to be kept informed about what the caretaker government was doing. They also wanted Thaksin to explain the political situation.