Thai poll shows military wants PM Banharn out .
BANGKOK 1996-08-29
Thailand 's powerful military thinks the government is dishonest and Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa 's resignation might solve the nation 's political and economic woes , an opinion poll showed on Thursday .
Nearly half the 1,617 military personnel surveyed in the Rajapat Institute poll suggested that Banharn resign , while about 28 percent thought he should dissolve parliament and 24 percent thought a cabinet reshuffle could resolve the government 's problems .
Banharn , who leads a six-party , 13-month-old coalition government , faces a no-confidence debate in parliament next month .
The prime minister , who has already lost one coalition partner this month , is expected to have a tough battle in the debate because of infighting in his own party and warnings of more pullouts by other coalition partners .
The poll , conducted earlier this month after Banharn 's coalition completed one year in office , showed the military would prefer General Chatichai Choonhavan -- a former prime minister who was ousted in a military coup in February 1991 -- as prime minister .
Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh , head of coalition member the New Aspiration Party , was the second choice for prime minister , the poll showed .
Banharn came in last on the list of proposed leaders with less than one percent of the votes .
Nearly two-thirds of the people surveyed thought the government was dishonest and insincere , and 65 percent blamed the government 's poor performance for the country 's economic slowdown .
The opinion of the military in Thailand , which has seen 17 coups or attempted coups since the country switched to parliamentary democracy from absolute monarchy in 1932 , always carries weight in the political scene , despite officials ' vows to distance the military from politics .