Thais want love and understanding in politics

With regards to individuals, 38.4 per cent said they want ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and anti-government campaign leader Sondhi Limthongkul to stop being hostile and better their relations, showed results of the Assumption University poll that were released Wednesday.

As for rivalling political groups, almost 46 per cent of the respondents said they wanted the People's Alliance for Democracy and pro-government Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship to make up. This was followed by 40.4 per cent who want opposition MPs and those from the ruling coalition to "love" each other, while 30.3 per cent want good relations between government MPs and the PAD.

Among love within individuals, 30.2 per cent want Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and key PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang to get along, while slightly more than 30 per cent want Somchai and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to make friends.

The respondents, who were allowed to make more than one choice, also hoped to see Thaksin and Abhisit; Somchai and Sondhi; and Thaksin and Chamlong get together as friends.

The survey was conducted on 4,988 eligible voters in 19 provinces, including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Songkhla, between now and October 23.

The poll also found that the largest group of respondents in Bangkok (42.1 per cent), the North (41.6) and Northeast (40.2) want Thaksin and Sondhi to stop being hostile with each other.

When asked about ways to end the ongoing conflict, 92.4 per cent suggested adhering to the principles of justice; 82.3 per cent wanted a new PM; more than 80 per cent said ruling on the Ratchadaphisek land scandal be respected; while almost 60 per cent sought a new general election.

Some 73.4 per cent of those surveyed did not consider a coup as solution compared to the 26.6 per cent who did. In addition, 58.4 per cent of the respondents did not see granting an amnesty to the banned executives of the now-disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party as a solution; compared to the 41.6 per cent who did.