80% back Thai coup
2006-09-20 17:40
Bangkok - A survey has found that more than 80% of Thais agreed with the military coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, pollsters said on Wednesday.
About 84% of 2 019 respondents questioned in a Dusit poll, by the Rajabhat Suan Dusit college, said they agreed with the coup on Tuesday night because it would improve the tense political situation in the kingdom.
The survey was conducted on Wednesday with 875 Bangkok residents and 1 144 people from other provinces.
It was not known which provinces were included in the survey, in particular if people living in Thaksin's northern stronghold of Chiang Mai were questioned.
About 75% said the coup would bring big changes and make the political system run more efficiently while only 4.7% believed it would worsen the system and affect economic confidence, the Dusit poll said.
Thai armed forces staged a coup on Tuesday night against Thaksin, who was in New York, and imposed martial law. Coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin later said the army would hand power to an interim premier within two weeks.