Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is still the most popular choice for the post of prime minister under the current election law and a majority of people want new political parties to form a government after the next general election, according to the result of an opinion survey by the National Institute for Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The survey - Nida's fourth on people's choices for the prime minister's post - was conducted on Sept 17-18 on 1,251 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education and occupations throughout the country.
Asked what kind of political parties they'd like to form the next government, a majority - 61.63% - said they prefer new parties with new faces and policies to old ones; 37.49% said they want established parties with capable, knowledgeable politicians highly experienced in running the country's administration; and 0.88% were uncertain or had no comment.
Asked to name the person they want to be prime minister after the election under the current election law, Gen Prayut came first with 29.66%; Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Pheu Thai Party was second with 17.51%; and Thanathorn Jungroongreangkit, the Future Forward Party leader, came third at 13.83%,
The top 10 for PM:
Gen Prayut: 29.66%
Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Pheu Thai Party: 17.51%
Thanathorn Jungroongreangkit of the Future Forward Party: 13.83%
Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat Party leader: 10.71%
Pol Gen Sereepisut Temiyavej, the Seree Ruam Thai Party leader: 5.28%
Pol Lt Gen Viroj Pao-in, the acting leader of the Pheu Thai Party: 5.28%
Former prime minister Chuan Leekpak of the Democrat Party: 4.64%
MR Chatumongol Sonakul, leader of the Action Coalition for Thailand Party: 1.92%;
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam: 1.76%
Wan Muhamad Nor Matha, acting leader of the Prachachart Party: 1.52%.
Asked which parties they would like the form the core of the next government, Pheu Thai came first with 28.76%, Palang Pracharat followed with 20.62% and the Democrat party was third at 19.58%.
The top 10 parties:
Pheu Thai: 28.78%
Palang Pracharat: 20.62%
Democrat: 19.58%;
Future Forward: 15.51%
Seree Ruam Thai: 4.16%
Prachachart: 2.56%
Action Coalition for Thailand: 2.40%
Palang Chart Thai: 1.44%
Chartthaipattana: 1.12%
People's Reform: 0.96%.
Asked whether they are confident the next election will be held in February 2019 without being further postponed, 52.76% said "no", reasoning that the situation is still unstable; 45.16% said "yes", saying conditions have begun to return to normal and the government is prepared; and 2.08% were uncertain or had no comment.