PRIME Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday he did not have high expectations in regard to his four questions on politics posed to the public, as he simply wanted to gauge people’s thoughts on the matters raised.

“I do not expect everyone to answer the questions. It’s not a big deal. I just want to hear what people say,” he said.

Prayut was responding to reports that a small number of people showed up at government complaint centres around the country to give answers in person to his questions.

A total of 7,012 people showed up on Monday to answer the questions as the government started accepting feedback from the public, the Interior Ministry said. Kalasin saw the highest number of respondents, with 662 people, followed by Saraburi with 408, and Nakhon Ratchasima with 322.

Tak and Phang Nga had the lowest number of people showing up to answer the questions, with only six people each. They were followed by Sakon Nakhon, Ang Thong and Ranong, seven people each, and Lamphun and Yasothon with eight each.

On May 26, Prayut asked citizens during his weekly national address if they thought the next election would deliver a government with good governance, and what would they do if it failed to do so.

The PM also asked if it was right |to have elections without taking the country’s future into consideration.

His last question dealt with whether politicians with “unsuitable behaviour” should be allowed to re-enter politics, which he said could lead to new |conflicts.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry was considering opening centres in shopping malls to gather responses from people to the four questions, Interior Minister General Anupong Paojinda said.

The ministry would assess the |matter, considering also what budget |the project needs, Anupong said, adding that the project was going smoothly.

He said the government may open an online channel for people to submit their opinions.

However, he insisted that people need to present their ID cards when lodging their responses to ensure everyone was expressing their thoughts and not the thoughts of others, to prevent the truth being distorted.

The minister said the agency was also working on spreading the word about the project to encourage people to take part.For those who are illiterate, officials could help them fill out the form, he said.

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, meanwhile, said yesterday the National Council for Peace and Order had no policy to force politicians to answer the PM’s four questions.

He was responding to a report that Pheu Thai Party politician Yuthapong Charassathien claimed eight military officers had been to his house in Maha Sarakham to get him to provide answers in writing.

“There were no orders for anyone to do this. I wonder if they were real military officers,” General Prawit said. “The NCPO has no such policy.”