February 20, 2023
BANGKOK – Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her Pheu Thai Party topped yet another poll, remaining firmly in the lead as the next general election approaches, while the general who ousted her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra in a coup nine years ago continues to flounder in his efforts to win support.
The daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra — who was also ousted in a coup — was selected by 31% of eligible voters in a poll conducted in Chonburi province by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) from February 7 to 14.
Pheu Thai was the top party, with 38.82% of the 1,100 residents of the eastern province selecting both its constituency- and party-list candidates, Nida said on Sunday.
The results paint a bleak picture for Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha.
A mere 18.82% of those surveyed said they’d vote for him to be the next PM, while his newly formed United Thai Nation Party struggled to surpass 16%.
Paetongtarn topped most national and regional polls last year. Polls show Prayut is more popular than her in the South.
The leader of another opposition party – Move Forward’s Pita Limjaroenrat – is the top choice in Bangkok, according to Nida polling.
Combined, Phue Thai and Move Forward are a powerhouse in Chonburi. Almost 60% of the survey’s respondents picked one of them as their choice to lead Thailand.
When asked who they would pick as the next PM, the top 10 responses were:
– 31%: Paetongtarn
– 18.82%: Prayut
– 17.36%: Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat
– 9.55%: Undecided
– 6.91%: Seri Ruam Thai Party leader Pol General Seri Temeeyaves
– 4.64%: Thai Sang Thai Party leader Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan
– 3.18%: Bhumjaithai Party leader and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
– 2.45%: Chart Pattanakla Party leader Korn Chatikavanij
– 1.73%: Pheu Thai Party leader Cholnan Srikaew
-1.00%: Palang Pracharath Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan
When asked which party they would pick for constituency-based candidates, the top 10 responses were:
– 38.82%: Pheu Thai
– 19.55%: Move Forward
– 16.18%: United Thai Nation
– 4.73%: Seri Ruam Thai
– 4.55%: Undecided
– 3.82%: Palang Pracharath
– 3.27%: Democrat
– 2.64%: Thai Sang Thai
– 2.55%: Bhumjaithai
– 1.09%: Chart Pattanakla
When asked which party they would pick for party-list candidates, the top 10 responses were:
– 38.82%: Pheu Thai
– 19.55%: Move Forward
– 16.09%: United Thai Nation
– 5.55%: Undecided
– 5%: Seri Ruam Thai
– 3.82%: Palang Pracharath
– 3.27%: Democrat
– 2.45%: Thai Sang Thai
– 2.27%: Bhumjaithai
– 1.09%: Chart Pattanakla
The poll suggests the waning popularity of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party and Prayut may have motivated Sontaya Kunplome to announce early this month that he would lead his group of politicians in Chonburi back to Pheu Thai.
Before the 2019 election, Sontaya, then leader of the Palang Chon Party, dissolved his party to merge into the Palang Pracharath.