BANGKOK, 12 March 2015 – Last week’s bomb attack on the Criminal Court is believed by many Thais to be politically motivated, according to a recent survey by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University.
The poll, which was conducted over March 8th-11th among 1,271 people across the country, found that the majority of respondents regarded the attack as a prelude to turmoil. Most of them believed that the bombings were politically motivated, adding that the perpetrators may intend to spark political conflict, social disorder or to protest against the Court’s rulings.
When asked about the repercussions the bomb attack would have on the country, the respondents commented that the incident would bruise the country’s image, spark fears among the public and affect the economy and tourism.
To prevent further unrest and restore the public’s confidence, the respondents suggested that security officials strengthen preventive measures and that the public help watch out for irregularities. Firm legal action should also be taken against the culprits.
As for their expectations of the government, most of them said they wanted the agencies concerned to follow up on the incident urgently so as to bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible. The public meanwhile should be updated on the progress of the investigation.
