Chadchart Sittipunt, a former transport minister in the Yingluck Shinawatra administration, is still ahead in the popularity ratings of possible candidates for the post of Bangkok governor, followed by former police chief Chakthip Chaijinda, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The poll on popularity of possible candidates for the post of Bangkok governor was conducted between May 31-June 2 on 1,313 people aged 18 and over eligible to vote in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, the date for which has yet to be set by the Election Commission.
The last Bangkok gubernatorial election was held in 2013, when M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra was elected. Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang was appointed his deputy.
Pol Gen Aswin, the current governor, was promoted by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to the position in 2016 after the coup that toppled the Yingluck Shinawatra government ousted MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra from the position.
Asked whom they would vote for in the Bangkok governor election, the replies varied as follows:
- 30.62% were still undecided;
- 23.84% Chadchart Sittipunt;
- 12.57% Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda;
- 10.59% Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang;
- 5.33% a candidate from the Pheu Thai Party;
- 3.43% ex-senator Rossana Tositrakul;
- 2.82% a candidate from the Progressive Movement of the Move Forward Party;
- 2.05% Suchatchavee Suwansawas, Rector of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang;
- 1.75% a candidate from the Democrat Party;
- 1.60% said they would go to the poll, but would not vote for any candidate;
- 1.22% a candidate from the Palang Pracharath Party;
- 1.14% Sakol Pattayakul, a deputy Bangkok governor; and
- 1.29% (combined) for candidates from Kla, Thai Sang Thai and Seri Ruam Thai parties.
Asked to pick the issues they wanted the new Bangkok governor to address first, the answers were:
- 43.64% traffic;
- 35.72% health/public health;
- 31.68% cost of living;
- 27.42% flooding;
- 17.29% the environment, including dust and water pollution;
- 16.91% drugs and crime;
- 16.15% garbage and cleanliness;
- 15.16% roads and footpaths in disrepair;
- 8.23% education;
- 6.17% hawkers and vendors;
- 2.89% children and youth; and
- 1.07% other issues, including public transport, street lights, homeless and crowded communities.