BANGKOK: -- Almost one-fifth of all Thais are facing economic hardship as they do not have enough money for daily expenses, according to the latest survey conducted by Assumption University's ABAC Poll.

Conducted with 1,461 people aged over 18 in Bangkok and the surrounding areas between August 25 and September 8, the survey found that slightly over half of all Thai families and individuals – 50.4 per cent - had enough money to spend, but could barely manage to save anything.

Meanwhile 31.4 per cent said they could save a little and 18.2 per cent said they were living in debt, said ABAC Poll director Noppadol Kannikar.

Respondents said up to 88.8 per cent of politicians and well-known socialites followed the sufficiency economy philosophy initiated by His Majesty the King, but only 11.2 per cent of them adhered to the philosophy rather strictly.

Thailand is now facing economic sluggishness, according to 36.4 per cent of the respondents, because people do not save money while 20.3 per cent blame rising inflation and 17.7 per cent say it is resulted from corruption in the country.

--TNA 2007-09-10