BANGKOK: -- While most people in committed relationships demand faithfulness from their partner, a recent survey has found that a number of them cheated - or are still cheating - on their significant other.
Of the 1,480 people aged 18 and older who were polled, about 40 per cent said they had had one or more romantic relationships with people other than their spouse or committed partner.
Nearly 40 per cent of these unfaithful partners said they were still cheating on their partners.
"We are concerned that having 'giks' [casual affairs] will become something common," said Noppadon Kannika, head of the Assumption University's Social Innovation in Manage-ment and Business Analysis Research Centre, yesterday.
The centre conducted the survey on October 9 and 10 in Bangkok and nearby provinces in a bid to explore why people cheat on their partners.
According to the survey, women's fussiness, men's incompetence, family conflicts and loneliness are among the main reasons why people are unfaithful. Pursuit of sexual pleasure, the desire to prove one's sexual appeal, and stress were also cited as reasons.
Some 87 per cent of respondents said they heard about extramarital relationships and casual lovers from news reports.
Noppadon voiced concern over the finding that the respondents tended to consider these casual relationships - known as "giks" in Thai - common.
However, when asked what they would do if they found out that their partner had cheated on them, more than 85 per cent said they would not be able to accept it.
Asked about their reaction to the recent scandal over a top official at the Social Development and Human Security Ministry having extramarital affairs with subordinates, 76 per cent said their trust in the ministry had diminished.
More than half of those polled wanted government agencies, non-governmental organisations, politicians, Cabinet members, businessmen, actors, actresses and singers to campaign against unfaithfulness.
"We are also concerned that people who should be role models in society, like politicians, high-ranking government officials and celebrities, are often seen as unfaithful to their partners," Noppadon said.
--The Nation 2007-10-12
