Change was what the people wanted when they cast their ballots in the May 22 Bangkok governor election, according to an opinion poll by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University, or Suan Dusit Poll.
The poll was conducted from May 24 to 27 using both face-to-face and and online interviews with 1,191 respondents in the capital.
Independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt won the gubernatorial election, the first in nine years after a military coup in 2014, with a record 1.3 million votes.
Asked what Bangkok people thought about Mr Chadchart’s landslide victory, with each respondent allowed to give more than one answer, 69.5% said they wanted change; 43.8% said people voted for him because they supported his policies; and 42.3% said people were impressed by his personality, down-to-earth manner and approachable nature.
According to the respondents, the former transport minister's popularity, capability, clean record and talent were other supporting factors.
Asked whether the governor-elect could make Bangkok better, 69.1% were confident he can achieve it, 28.8% were unsure and 2.1% believed he would fail.
Asked whether the election outcomes of the Bangkok governor and city councillors would lead to political changes in Thailand, 46.5% viewed that changes are likely while 43.5% believed they are certain. The remaining respondents said the poll results would have no effect.
Half of the respondents, or 50.5%, were quite satisfied with the Election Commission’s handling of the Bangkok governor election. 43.6% said they were very satisfied while 5.62% were not quite satisfied. The remaining 0.34% said they were disappointed.
In addition, 72% wanted Mr Chadchart honoured his election campaign policies; 63.1% wanted chronic problems, such as heavy traffic and flooding to be seriously addressed; 58.9% wanted budgets to be managed in an efficient and transparent manner and could be scrutinised; 51.1% wanted the economic problem to be urgently tackled; and 48.4% wanted cost of living reduction and income increase.
The Suan Dusit pollster said the survey results showed that Bangkok people viewed that the governor election would affect the next general election.
