Bangkok governor candidates Sukhumbhand Paribatra and Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen are almost neck and neck in the election race, according to a survey released on Friday by Bangkok Poll.

The pollsters at Bangkok University interviewed 1,607 eligible voters in Bangkok from Jan 21-23, seeking opinions on the gubernatorial election.

Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, left, and MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra (File photos)

Bangkok Poll reported that when asked who they would vote for if the election took place on the survey day, 23.9% of the respondents said Pol Gen Pongsapat of the Pheu Thai Party, and 23.6% of them backed MR Sukhumbhand of the Democrat Party.

Only 6.5% of the polled voters said they supported former national police chief Pol Gen Sereepisut Temeeyaves, an independent candidate, while 42.1% of them had not yet made a decision.

As many as 89.3% of them said they would turn out to vote, 7% were unsure, and 3.7% said they would not.

Questioned about the criteria they used in making their decision, 49.5% of the respondents said the candidate's competency, knowledge and past performance; 28.7% pointed to the candidate’s policies; 16.3% said the candidate’s political party, and 6.0% preferred independent candidates.

High living costs was the problem the polled voters wanted the new Bangkok governor to settle the most, backed by 31.1% of them, followed by traffic congestion (27.7%), creation of jobs and income (13.4%), and ensuring the safety of their lives and property (11.7%).

The remaining 16.1% wanted cleaner fresh markets, roads and canals and the expansion of the rail systems to cover all areas of the city.

On Wednesday, Nida Poll of the National Institute of Development Administration reported MR Sukhumbhand had a slight lead at the first curve in the race for the governorship of Bangkok.

However, Abac Poll at Assumption University reported on Thursday that Pol Gen Pongsapat had edged ahead in the race.

Related search: Sukhumbhand Paribatra, Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, bangkok governor election