United Thai Nation-Palang Pracharath coalition possible: poll

It is possible that Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha of the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party and Gen Prawit Wongsuwon of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) may reunite to form a coalition government after the next general election, according to the result of an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.

The poll was conducted on Jan 23-25 by telephone interviews with 1,310 people aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes throughout the country to compile their opinions on the reported state of the relationship between Gen Prayut and Gen Prawit.

Asked what they thought about current relations between the two generals, the answers varied as follows:

• 46.56% said Gen Prayut and Gen Prawit had not "broken up", but were merely competing in politics
• 28.93% said there are no true friends and permanent enemies in politics
• 20.53% said the reports made democracy colourful
• 12.52% said Gen Prayut was now more independent in making political decisions and handling the country's administration
• 10.76% believed the competition would cause the two parties to win fewer House seats combined than the seats won by PPRP in the 2019 election
• 9.01% believed Gen Prayut and Gen Prawit had actually broken up
• 8.78% said Gen Prawit and PPRP were now more independent and either could form a government with any other party after the new election
• 6.56% believed the rivalry would cause the two parties to win more House seats combined than the seats won by PPRP in the 2019 election
• 6.34% said people who supported Gen Prayut but did not like PPRP would give Gen Prayut more support
• 3.05% had no answer or were not interested

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha speaks to a gathering of supporters at his first election campaign address as a member of the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party in Chumphon on Saturday. (Screenshot)

Asked whether UTN or PPRP would win more House seats in the next election, the answers were:

• 42.75% believed the two parties would have about the same number of MPs
• 25.73% said PPRP would win more House seats
• 24.73% thought UTN would have more MPs
• 6.79% had no answer or were not interested

Asked about the possibility that Gen Prayut and Gen Prawit would join hands to form a government after the next election, the answers were:

• 38.40% said the possibility was high
• 30.07% said this was fairly possibility
• 18.32% believed a UTN-PPRP coalition was totally impossible
• 11.76% believed a UTN-PPRP coalition was unlikely
• 1.45% had no answer or were not interested