Dusit Poll reveals that 53% of Thais "have little confidence" in the government's handling of disasters, urging accelerated solutions to environmental problems.

A survey of 1,241 Thais by Suan Dusit Poll revealed that "flooding, flash floods, and landslides" are the most worrying threat (84.29%). Meanwhile, 53.19% have little confidence in the government's handling of disasters. They urged the government to urgently address environmental problems, prepare evacuation plans, and upgrade the warning system to be prepared for emergencies.

On September 6, 2569 , Suan Dusit Poll, Suan Dusit University, conducted a nationwide survey of public opinion on the topic of "Thais and Disaster Preparedness." The survey was conducted among a sample group of 1,241 people (online and field surveys) between September 1-4, 2569.

1. Given the recent disasters, which type of disaster is the public most concerned about?

Ranked #1: Floods, flash floods, and landslides (84.29%)
Second place: Storms, typhoons, monsoons, heavy rainfall (63.74%).
Ranked 3rd: Earthquakes, building collapses (58.50%).
Ranked 4th: Drought, wildfires, extreme heat (47.22%)
Rank 5: Tsunami, 29.73%

2. What do people think are the main reasons why disasters are occurring more frequently and severely nowadays?

Ranked #1: Climate change and global warming (69.70%)
Second place goes to human behavior that impacts the environment (66.00%).
Third place goes to deforestation and the destruction of natural resources, at 65.43%.

3. How are people preparing to cope with disasters?

Ranked #1: Regularly following news and safety alerts (64.46%).
Second place goes to increasing caution in daily life (51.17%).
Ranked 3rd: Studying how to behave during a disaster (48.27%).

4. Overall, to what extent do the public trust the government to handle potential disasters in Thailand?

Number 1: Not very confident 53.19%
Number 2: Somewhat confident 25.02%
No. 3, 19.94% distrust
4th place, very confident, 1.85%

5. What issue do the public believe the government should prioritize addressing to ensure Thailand is prepared for disasters?

Ranked #1 is addressing environmental problems and reducing factors that exacerbate disasters (68.65%).
Ranked #2: Preparing evacuation plans, safe zones, and emergency assistance (61.08%).
Ranked 3rd, 52.70% of the budget is allocated directly for disaster prevention and response.
Ranked 4th: Developing faster and more accurate forecasting and warning systems (52.05%).
Ranked 5th: Improve defense systems and infrastructure in high-risk areas (49.88%).

Ms. Pornphan Buathong, President of Suan Dusit Poll, stated that the survey results reflect Thai people's concern about imminent disasters, partly attributed to climate change. While people are preparing themselves, confidence in the government's response remains low. Therefore, the government must accelerate preparedness efforts, including pre-disaster preparedness, early warning systems, emergency assistance, and post-disaster relief, to build public confidence and ensure safety.

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