The poll also showed that the public’s satisfaction with the government’s performance had fallen per cent in the first four-year term to 34.4 per cent early in the second term of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Investment in the government’s mega-projects, which was counted on to drive economic growth in the third quarter, will be postponed to the fourth quarter or early next year due to the corruption problem, said Thanawat Polwichai, director of the economic-forecasting centre at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The survey, conducted from February 10 to Wednesday, drew 2,453 responses from the general public and 604 from businessmen.

The poll indicated that government popularity was on the down trend due to the corruption problem and political uncertainty.

The government needs to address those issues urgently, otherwise they will deal a blow to the country’s overall economic growth, Thanawat said.

The centre has sketched two economic scenarios. If the corruption and political problems can be solved within the first half, the economy will grow 4.5-5 per cent this year.

If the problems take longer to work out, economic expansion will be only 4-4.5 per cent.

Saowanee Thairungroi, dean of economics at the university, said respondents had suggested that the three most urgent tasks of the government were to eradicate poverty, improve living standards and boost the country’s competitiveness.

“The survey shows that economic development and national security are the main concerns that the public needs the government to hurry up and address,” she said.  - Petchanet Pratruangkrai, The Nation.