Thai Rak Thai deputy leader Sudarat Keyuraphan, right, helps Puwanart Kunpalin, younger brother of ex-MP Puwanida, campaign for the upcoming Bangkok Council election. Puwanart is running in Wang Thong Lang district, his sister’s former base.

Honesty topped the list in a survey in which pollsters asked 1,468 people which virtue Thaksin should promote while governing the country. About 41 per cent said honesty, 23.1 per cent said justice and righteousness, while 22 per cent said personal sacrifice for the public good.

Some 14.8 per cent of the respondents said the Thaksin-led administration needs to be more patient, while 11.3 per cent said it needed to adhere to moral precepts. The survey was conducted in Bangkok and adjacent provinces from June 21 to Saturday, Abac Poll director Noppadon Kannika said.

Pollsters also listed 10 virtues and asked them to associate each one with one of 23 former or serving prime ministers, he said.

General Prem Tinsulanonda, president of the Privy Council, topped the list in terms of honesty, politeness, adhering to moral precepts, personal sacrifice for the public good, being cool-headed, being just and not abusing authority.

Thaksin was the most recognised premier in terms of patience, generosity and perseverance.

Noppadon said the results were skewed towards recent leaders because most respondents only remembered those who served during their lifetime.

He said the media and the government should educate the public about former prime ministers. "The public should know which premiers led the country into crisis or created conflicts, as well as which ones made great contributions to the country," he said.