A majority of people have voiced disagreement with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's announcement to reopen the country in 120 days amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.



Majority disagree with reopening the country in 120 days: Nida Poll

A majority of people have voiced disagreement with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's announcement to reopen the country in 120 days amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.

The poll was conducted by telephone interviews on June 22-25 on 1,311 people aged 15 and over of various levels of education and occupations throughout the country.

Asked whether they agreed with the announcement, a large majority, 73.46%, disagreed. Of them, 53.55% were in total disagreement, reasoning that the country should not risk taking in foreigners while the pandemic had not been put under control, adding that the reopening should be delayed until most people in the country were inoculated; and 19.91% were in moderate disagreement, saying they were not confident in the government's preventive measures.

On the other side, 26.01% agreed - with 12.43% in total agreement, saying it would spur the economy and revive tourism-related businesses; and, 13.58% were in moderate agreement.

The rest, 0.53%, had no answer or were not interested.

To the question whether they believed the government would be able to reopen the country in 120 days, a majority - 71.62% - said "no"; 27.16% said "yes"; and 1.22% had no answer or were not interested.

Asked whether they were ready to share the risk of facing more severe outbreak of the virus with the government, 52.56% said they would not accept any risk and the government must take full responsibility while 11.29% said they would not accept any risk but would not put the blame on the government.

On the other side, 24.56% said they would accept the risk but the government must take the whole responsibility and 9.00% said they would accept the risk and would not blame the government.

The rest, 2.59%, had no answer or were not interested.

Asked what they attached more importance to between economic survival and health safety, 69.19% said they were for health safety; 18.99% said they were for economic survival; and 11.82% said both were equally important.