Bangkok: A recent survey conducted by the Nida Poll reveals that the situation in the southern border provinces of Thailand has remained stagnant over the past two decades, with little progress in resolving ongoing violence. The poll indicates a lack of government prioritization in addressing these issues.
According to Thai News Agency, the survey gathered opinions from residents in Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala provinces, focusing on the security situation in these areas. Of the respondents, 33.45% reported that the situation remains as problematic as it has been for the past 20 years. Meanwhile, 20.36% stated the situation was as favorable as before, and 18.55% noted a slight improvement.
Regarding development in these provinces over the last two decades, 42.18% of respondents observed some improvement, while 37.45% felt there was minimal development, and 14.55% reported no development at all.
Concerning the relationship between government officials and local residents, 33.55% of those surveyed said it remained consistently positive, with 30.64% noting some improvement and 19.91% describing it as consistently negative.
In evaluating the government's efforts to address unrest, 42.36% of participants felt that the government did not prioritize the issue sufficiently. Additionally, 31.82% believed there was no importance given, while 18.82% acknowledged some level of importance placed by the government.
When asked about the significance of the government's policy on resolving southern unrest in deciding their vote in the upcoming election, 47.55% of respondents indicated it was of high importance, 27.36% said it held moderate importance, and 15.55% considered it of little importance.