Pheu Thai stands the highest chance of becoming the ruling party after the next general election, followed by the Move Forward, Palang Pracharath, United Thai Nation, Bhumjaithai and Democrat parties, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The poll was conducted on Dec 7-9 by telephone interviews with 1,313 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country to compile their opinions on the chance for six parties - Pheu Thai, Move Forward, Palang Pracharath, United Thai Nation, Bhumjaithai and Democrat - to govern the country after the next general election.
Asked to rate the chances of each of the six becoming the ruling party after the next election, the answers varied as follows:
1. Pheu Thai - 40.38% high; 32.44% absolutely certain; 16.88% slim; 8.24% no chance at all; and 2.06% had no answer/not interested
2. Move Forward - 31.45% slim; 30.23% high; 23.66% no chance at all; 11.00% absolutely certain; and 3.66% no answer/not interested
3. Palang Pracharath - 33.51% no chance at all; 32.60% slim; 20.38% high; 10.76% absolutely certain; and 2.75% no answer/not interested
4. United Thai Nation - 43.12% no chance at all; 31.45% slim; 15.73% high; 5.73% absolutely certain; and 3.97% no answer/not interested
5. Bhumjaithai - 39.16% slim; 30.84% no chance at all; 21.60% high; 4.96% absolutely certain; and 3.44% no answer/not interested
6. Democrat - 40.69% slim; 38.93% no chance at all; 13.20% high; 4.58% absolutely certain; and 2.60% no answer/not interested
Asked to comment on a report that the Palang Pracharath and Pheu Thai parties had reached an agreement to form a coalition government after the next election, the answers were:
• 45.65% said it was completely unbelievable, and was just a rumour because the two parties held different political ideologies
• 29.24% said it was not credible, reasoning that each of the two parties wanted to form a government by itself
• 16.64% said it was quite believable
• 5.19% said it was likely to be true, and
• 3.28% did not know or were not interested