Has the situation in the Far South actually improved as claimed in the latest poll?
The Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC) in cooperation with the associations of the people of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla jointly held a seminar in Bangkok to declare that the unrest situation in the Far South has considerably eased.
The evidence used to support the claim that the situation in the three southernmost provinces has improved is the opinion poll of people in 37 districts towards the government’s policy in the restive region conducted jointly by the SBPAC and the Rajchabhat University’s Yala campus.
The recent poll shows that within four months of administration by the government of PrimeMinister Prayut Chan-ocha, 78 percent of the respondents said violence has subsided, 72 percent of the respondents said the government has walked the right path to resolve the unrest problem and 68 percent are confident with the increased efficiency of performance of district-level centres.
Although the fact that violence has eased is nothing new, the latest poll result is interesting as it was undertaken by an educational institute and all the findings are positive. Hence, the calls for the disclosure of the full result of the poll.
It should be noted that the SBPAC earlier twice announced that it would disclose the result of the poll but backed off for unknown reasons.
The Isra news agency has found out that the poll result that the SBPAC declined to announce twice is the same with the one announced recently as both are all positive.
The poll was conducted during December 26-28 among 1,800 samples in 37 districts in Songkhla’s four districts, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat. The respondents were asked how they feel about the government’s development projects and the policy to resolve the southern unrest problem.
The poll shows the following results:
- 36.19 percent feel that the situation has improved.
- 44.78 percent have confidence in the government’s policy to resolve people’s problems at tambon and village levels.
- 38.56 percent feel that governmental agencies are more cooperative to resolve problems.
- 38.06 percent believe that more visits by ministers and senior officials to the localities can help solve problems.
Regarding public confidence towards the government’s development projects and policy to resolve southern problem, the poll shows that 38.67 percent have confidence in the role of the district-level operation centres; 37.74 percent feel the centres are fair and21.65 feel they are useful to tackle drug problem.
Regarding public opinions towards the National Council for Peace and Order, the poll results are as follows:
- 38.86 percent feel they are safer for their lives and properties;
- 17.18 percent feel that drug situation has improved;
- 20.08 percent are more confident with their jobs;
- 38.89 percent feel they have better education;
- 32.35 percent feel that relations between Muslim and Buddhist residents has improved.
The question about this recent opinion poll is that only the positive aspect of the poll was announced and what about the negative aspect of the poll which seems to have been buried under the rug. Hence, it is doubtful that the claim of improved situation in the Deep South is true or not?