The Democrat Party's poor political strategy and other factors led to its defeat in the March 24 election, according to the result of an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The poll was conducted on 1,261 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education and occupations throughout the country on May 30-31 to compile their opinions on what caused Thailand's oldest political party's weak showing in the March 24 election.
The respondents were allowed to give more than one answer when asked why the Democrat Party fared poorly, winning only 52 House seats.
The answers varied as follows:
- 32.83% were fed up with and disliked the Democrat Party's political strategy
- 18.00% said its political base was taken over by the Future Forward Party
- 17.05% thought most Democrat politicians were good at talking but not at getting things done
- 15.31% believed its popular support had switched to the Palang Pracharath Party
- 13.40% said they were fed up with and disliked Democrat candidates
- 12.85% said they were fed up with former Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's political roles
- 11.66% blamed the election defeat on mistakes in the party's campaign strategies
- 11.58% believed Mr Abhisit's announcement that he would not support Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha for prime minister was to blame
- 6.98% said the Democrat Party did not have a clear political standpoint and its policies did not respond to the people's needs.
- 2.85% said voters turned away from the Democrat Party because they believed it would not be able to beat the Pheu Thai Party,deciding to vote for other parties instead
- 2.46% said the Democrat Party might have been cheated in the election.
Asked to comment on the Democrats' current political moves,
- 31.17% said the party is too divided to be able to make a quick political decision
- 21.97% said it is playing a political game to bargain for cabinet posts
- 17.61% thought the party is talking about its political ideology but taking no action
- 13.48% said the Democrats, like other political parties, are seeking their own political interests
- 7.53% said the party does not have a clear political direction
- 5.08% said it is playing a political game to benefit the people's interests
- 4.76% thought the party is taking too long to make a political decision
- 1.43% believed the party is well-versed in political games in parliament.