Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's popularity has fallen below 50 per cent for the first time since he was appointed in the aftermath of a September 19th military coup, an opinion poll showed today.
The slump in the administration's popularity was due to its preoccupation with pursuing corruption investigations against ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra rather than trying to solve the country's problems, the poll showed.
Mr Surayud, a former army commander-in-chief and adviser to revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, won 48.2 per cent support compared with 70.5 per cent in November, according to the poll done last month by Bangkok's Assumption University.
The army had cited "rampant corruption" as one of the main reasons for its removal of Mr Thaksin, winner of landslide election victories in 2001 and 2005.
But panel set up to investigate alleged wrongdoings committed by Mr Thaksin, his cabinet ministers and their families has failed to produce any solid evidence.
Bombs on New Year's Eve that killed three people also caused half the respondents to question whether the government could ensure their safety.
Nobody has been charged in connection with the blasts, which are being blamed on Thaksin loyalists or Muslim militants from the far south, home to a three-year separatist insurgency.