Paetongtarn "Ung-ing" Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party is by far the most popular choice for prime minister among people in Thailand's eastern provinces, some distance ahead of Pita Limjaroenrat of the Move Forward Party, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
As in other regions of Thailand, the Pheu Thai and Move Forward parties together commanded majority support.
The poll was conducted on Nov 7-10 by telephone interviews with 2,001 eligible voters aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes in the eight eastern provinces – Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri and Sa Kaeo.
Asked who they would support for the post of prime minister today, the answers were:
• Ms Paetongtarn of the Pheu Thai Party (25.09%);
• Mr Pita of the Move Forward Party (16.64%);
• Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha (13.64%);
• Nobody suitable for the post (13.09%);
• Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves of the Seri Ruam Thai Party (8.50%);
• Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party (7.25%);
• Korn Chatikavanij of the Chart Pattanakla Party (2.80%);
• Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party (2.35%);
• Jurin Laksanawisit of the Democrat Party (1.60%);
• Dr Cholnan Srikaew of the Pheu Thai Party (1.60%);
• Chadchart Sittipunt, the Bangkok governor (1.55%);
• Somkid Jatusripitak of the Sang Anakhot Thai Party (1.40%).
The remainder, 2.94% combined, were divided among Mingkwan Sangsuwan, Kanchana Silpa-archa of the Chartthaipattana Party, Mongkolkit Suksintaranon of the Thai Civilised Party, Gen Prawit Wongsuwon of the Palang Pracharath Party, Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrat Party, Pirapan Salirathavibhaga of the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party, Warong Dechgitvigrom of the Thai Pakdee Party, Srettha Thavisin, Tewan Liptapanlop of the Chart Pattanakla Party, Wan Muhamad Nor Matha of the Prachachart Party, Chuan Leekpai of the Democrat Party and Vikrom Kromadit, a businessman.
Asked which party they would prefer when voting for a constituency MP, the answers were:
• Pheu Thai (33.68%);
• Move Forward (19.29%);
• Undecided (15.79%);
• Palang Pracharath (10.14%);
• Democrat (6.95%);
• Seri Ruam Thai (3.80%);
• Bhumjaithai (3.05%);
• Thai Sang Thai (2.75%);
• Chart Pattanakla (1.10%).
The remainder, 3.45% combined, were split among Sang Anakhot Thai, Chartthaipattana, Kla, Ruam Thai Sang Chart, New Economy, Thai Pakdee, Thai Civilised, Pheu Chart and Prachachart parties, along with those who had no answers or were not interested.
Asked which party they would vote for in the party-list system, the answers were:
• Pheu Thai (33.68%);
• Move Forward (19.09%);
• Undecided (16.24%);
• Palang Pracharath (10.00%);
• Democrat (7.30%);
• Seri Ruam Thai (4.10%);
• Thai Sang Thai (2.85%)
• Bhumjaithai (2.70%);
• Sang Anakhot Thai (1.00%).
• The rest, 3.04% combined, were divided among Chart Pattanakla, Chartthaipattana, Kla, Ruam Thai Sang Chart, New Economy, Thai Civilised, Thai Pakdee, Pheu Chart and Prachachart parties, along with those who had no answers or were not interested.