Thais yearn for better economy, peace, reconciliation: poll

AmajorityofThaiswantthegovernmenttoaddressthecountry'slacklustereconomyandachievepeaceandnationalreconciliation,showedasurveyreleasedonSunday.

Morethan34percentof1,189respondentsinBangkokhopedthegovernmenttofixeconomicproblems,includingrisingpricesandunemployment,accordingtothesurveyconductedbyBangkokpolloftheBangkokUniversity.

Meanwhile,16.3percentoftherespondentswantedtoseeacountryofpeace,stabilityandharmony,and10.1percentafreshgeneralelection.

Asforthegovernment'sreformin2016,about39.1percentoftherespondentswishedforeconomicreformthatcouldcurbtherisingpricesofgoods,18.7percentforsocialreformtotacklecorruptionand9.6percentforpoliticalreformtohelpbuildaharmonioussociety.

Morethan40percentoftherespondentseyedhighereconomicgrowthin2016thanlastyear,while33.8percentbelievedtherewouldbenodifferenceand15.6percentexpectedaworsesituation.

ThesurveyalsoshowedPrimeMinisterPrayutChan-o-chawasseenasasincereandstraightforwardpersonby28.9percentoftherespondents,abad-temperedmanofstrongwordsby18.2percentandamanthatworkedhardtoservethecountryby13.4percent.