Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is more popular than other potential candidates for the post of prime minister among people in the three southern border provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, followed by Wan Muhamad Nor Matha of the Prachachart Party, according to a survey by National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The poll was conducted on Feb 10-20 by telephone interviews with 1,100 people eligible voters aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes in the three Muslim-dominated southernmost provinces infested with insurgency.
Asked who would they support for the post of prime minister, the answers were:
• 19.82% for Gen Payut of the United Thai Nation Party
• 17.55% for Wan Muhamad Nor Matha of the Prachachart Party
• 16.73% for Paetongtarn "Ung Ing" Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party
• 10.45% said nobody is suitable
• 9.82% for Pita Limjaroenrat of the Move Forward Party
• 5.91% for Jurin Laksanawisit of the Democrat Party
• 4.18% for Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves of the Seri Ruam Thai Party
• 3.64% for Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party
• 2.91% for Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party
• 2.27% for Korn Jatikavanich of the Chart Pattanakla Party
• 2.00% for Gen Prawit Wongsuwon of the Palang Pracharath Party
• 1.36% for Cholnan Srikaew of the Pheu Thai Party
• The rest, 3.36% combined, were for Kanchana Silpa-archa (Chartthaipattana), Mingkwan Saengsuwan (Palang Pracharath), Warong Dechgitvigrom (Thai Pakdee), Somkid Jatusripitak (Sang Anakhot Thai), Mongkolkit Suksitaranon (Thai Civilised), Abhisit Vejjajiva (Democrat), Chadchart Sittipunt, Tewan Liptapanlop (Chart Pattanakla), Srettha Thavisin and those with no answer or were not interested.
Asked which party they preferred for MPs in constituencies, the answers were: Prachachart (22.64%), Pheu Thai (19.64%), Democrat (15.27%), United Thai Nation (12.91%), Move Forward (10.73%), Palang Pracharath (4.91%), Bhumjaithai (3.82%), still undecided (3.18%), Seri Ruam Thai (2.36%), Chart Pattanakla (1.45%), Thai Sang Thai (1.45%) and 1.64% combined for the Chartthaipattana, Pheu Chart, Thai Pakdee, New Economy, Thai Civilised, Ruam Palang and Sang Anakhot Thai parties.
Asked which party they favoured for party-list MPs, the answers were: Pheu Thai (20.64%), Prachachart (19.91%), Democrat (14.73%), United Thai Nation (13.55%), Move Forward (10.73%), Palang Pracharath (4.91%), still undecided (4.73%), Bhumjaithai (4.36%), Seri Ruam Thai (2.36%), Thai Sang Thai (1.55%), Chart Pattanakla (1.36%) and 1.17% combined for the Chartthaipattana, Thai Pakdee, Pheu Chart, Thai Civilised and New Economy parties.