Most Thais clueless about MoU 44, Koh Kut dispute with Cambodia: poll

The vast majority of Thais have no clue nor want to understand the controversy surrounding MoU 44 and the Koh Kut border issue with Cambodia, while those understanding the matter have zero trust that the government would be able to protect the national interest, a public opinion survey showed.
Thailand under the administration of Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia under prime minister Hun Sen signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) 44 in 2001, which acknowledged joint development of an overlapping claim area in the Gulf of Thailand. Critics claimed the MoU was made in haste 23 years ago and goes against the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), particularly regarding Cambodia’s unilateral drawing of the continental shelf borderline that trespasses on Thailand’s territorial area, Exclusive Economic Zone and about half of the island of Koh Kut in Trat province.
Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa earlier this week clarified that the negotiations under the framework of the MoU would not affect the maritime sovereignty of each country until an agreement on the maritime demarcation issue is reached.
The National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll, asked 1,310 people across Thailand about a topic entitled “Has anyone understood the ongoing dispute about  MoU 44 and the Koh Kut situation?”  The answers were as follows: 
• 58.86% had no understanding
• 19.31% had little understanding   
• 15.65% had some understanding 
• 6.18% had a good understanding 
Asked if they want to have more understanding about the dispute and concern centred on the 2001 MoU and Koh Kut in the eastern province of Trat, the answers were as follows:
• 41.22% did not want to understand at all
• 26.72% really wanted to understand    
• 16.64% had some desire to understand 
• 15.42% slightly wanted to understand
When the respondents who really and somewhat understood the MoU 44 and Koh Kut controversy were asked whether they trust that the government can protect the national interest and Thailand’s territorial sovereignty should the government go ahead with negotiations with Cambodia on disputed maritime areas under the 2001 MoU, the answer varied as follows:
• 33.68% had no trust
• 29.17% had little trust     
• 24.65% had some trust
• 12.50% had great trust
The poll was conducted on Nov 12-13 on people aged over 18 of various levels of education and occupations.