Thailand’s military junta, which took power in a coup last year and has smothered public criticism of its rule, has conducted a poll that found more than 99% of Thais are happy with its performance.
The National Statistics Office released the results of the poll, which questioned 2,700 people nationwide, one day before the government was due to present its one-year performance review.
Thailand’s rulers, who toppled the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra in a coup in May 2014, have stifled the media and banned political gatherings. They have promised to bring stability to a country that suffered months of bloody protests.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has attempted to boost morale in the country while also detaining journalists, academics and activists. The general wrote a new song this week for the end of the year titled “Because You Are Thailand” in an attempt to boost morale.
The military-run government has been loath to accept criticism of its efforts and rights groups accuse it of using the country’s strict lèse-majesté law, written to protect the reputation of the monarchy, to silence those who oppose it with long jail terms.
Earlier this year, Prayuth said he had the power to shut down news outlets and when asked how the government would deal with journalists who do not “report the truth”, he responded: “We’ll probably just execute them”.
He has also defended the use of “attitude adjustment”, a detention program where anyone can be held for a few hours to several days to be scolded for criticism of the government.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/23/thailands-junta-releases-poll-showing-993-of-citizens-happy-with-its-performance
The National Statistics Office released the results of the poll, which questioned 2,700 people nationwide, one day before the government was due to present its one-year performance review.
Thailand’s rulers, who toppled the administration of Yingluck Shinawatra in a coup in May 2014, have stifled the media and banned political gatherings. They have promised to bring stability to a country that suffered months of bloody protests.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has attempted to boost morale in the country while also detaining journalists, academics and activists. The general wrote a new song this week for the end of the year titled “Because You Are Thailand” in an attempt to boost morale.
The military-run government has been loath to accept criticism of its efforts and rights groups accuse it of using the country’s strict lèse-majesté law, written to protect the reputation of the monarchy, to silence those who oppose it with long jail terms.
Earlier this year, Prayuth said he had the power to shut down news outlets and when asked how the government would deal with journalists who do not “report the truth”, he responded: “We’ll probably just execute them”.
He has also defended the use of “attitude adjustment”, a detention program where anyone can be held for a few hours to several days to be scolded for criticism of the government.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/23/thailands-junta-releases-poll-showing-993-of-citizens-happy-with-its-performance