The NIDA Poll revealed that personnel from social volunteer organizations are perceived as the most politically neutral, followed by personnel from civil society organizations and monks.
On 24 May 2026, the NIDA Poll Center at the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) released results of a survey titled "Who Is Politically Neutral?" conducted between 7-11 May 2026. The survey included 1,310 respondents aged 18 and over from all regions, educational levels, occupations, and income brackets nationwide. It gathered public opinions on political neutrality in critiques of political issues. The sampling was probability-based using NIDA Poll's master sample database through multi-stage sampling. Data were collected by telephone interviews with a margin of error not exceeding 0.05 at a 97.0% confidence level.
The survey asked respondents about their views on the political neutrality of non-political individuals when critiquing political issues, finding that:
1. Personnel of social volunteer organizations: 36.11% said somewhat neutral, followed by 34.81% saying very neutral, 18.40% not very neutral, 9.08% not neutral at all, and 1.60% no response/don't know.
2. Personnel of civil society organizations: 37.25% said somewhat neutral, followed by 25.50% very neutral, 21.37% not very neutral, 11.22% not neutral at all, and 4.66% no response/don't know.
3. Monks and clergy: 28.24% said somewhat neutral, followed by 23.82% very neutral, 19.16% not very neutral, 17.02% no response/don't know, and 11.76% not neutral at all.
4. NGO personnel: 32.75% said somewhat neutral, followed by 24.27% not very neutral, 21.30% very neutral, 15.42% not neutral at all, and 6.26% no response/don't know.
5. Media personnel: 32.06% said somewhat neutral, followed by 30.53% not very neutral, 20.23% very neutral, 16.26% not neutral at all, and 0.92% no response/don't know.
6. International organization personnel: 34.43% said somewhat neutral, followed by 24.58% not very neutral, 20.00% very neutral, 12.82% not neutral at all, and 8.17% no response/don't know.
7. Academics: 35.27% said somewhat neutral, followed by 28.40% not very neutral, 17.40% very neutral, 17.02% not neutral at all, and 1.91% no response/don't know.
8. Officials in independent organizations: 30.00% said somewhat neutral, followed by 25.19% not very neutral, 22.29% not neutral at all, 17.18% very neutral, and 5.34% no response/don't know.
9. Political critique pages/influencers: 31.83% said not neutral at all, followed by 26.18% not very neutral, 23.97% somewhat neutral, 16.11% very neutral, and 1.91% no response/don't know.
10. Celebrities, singers, actors, hosts: 33.29% said somewhat neutral, followed by 30.15% not very neutral, 15.34% very neutral, 15.11% not neutral at all, and 6.11% no response/don't know.
11. Officials in business organizations, associations, clubs: 29.69% said not very neutral, followed by 28.55% somewhat neutral, 21.30% not neutral at all, 12.29% very neutral, and 8.17% no response/don't know.
12. Government officials/state officers: 37.25% said not very neutral, followed by 27.86% somewhat neutral, 22.75% not neutral at all, 10.61% very neutral, and 1.53% no response/don't know.
Finally, when asked about the political neutrality of the general public in critiquing political issues, 37.63% said somewhat neutral, followed by 32.75% definitely neutral, 20.69% not very neutral, 7.94% not neutral at all, and 0.99% no response/not interested.
