Foreigners wary about ISA

Slightly over 70 per cent of the respondents expressed concern about moving about in the capital during this period, which is effective in Bangkok's Dusit district from Friday until tomorrow, according to results of the survey released yesterday.

However, some 70 per cent also said they believed the law could help prevent chaos during the period while 45 per cent said the situation in Thailand could be better without a rally, said Noppadol Kannikar, director of the university's Abac Poll. About 75 per cent of the respondents said they believed the democratic system could assist in improving the national economy, Noppadol said.

He said the survey was conducted among 468 foreign tourists and members of the business community from Wednesday to Friday.

The government imposed the Internal Security Act in Dusit district to cope with a planned rally by the anti-government red shirts yesterday.

Noppadol said the poll also showed that 57 per cent of respondents were optimistic that the Thai economy would improve in the next six months, while 21 per cent were not fully confident.