Poll: Paetongtarn top PM pick in Samut Prakan

Paetongtarn "Ung-Ing" Shinawatra is the most favoured candidate for the post of prime minister among voters of Samut Prakan, followed by Pita Limjaroenrat of the Move Forward Party, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.

The poll was conducted on March 22-23 by telephone interviews with 1,100 eligible voters aged 18 and over of various levels of education, occupations and incomes in this lower Central province, where eight House seats are up for grabs in the May 14 election.

Asked which potential candidate they would support for the post of prime minister in this election, the answers were:

• 35.82% for Ms Paetongtarn of the Pheu Thai Party
• 21.36% for Mr Pita of the Move Forward Party
• 13.91% for Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha of the United Thai Nation Party
• 5.27% for Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party
• 5.18% for Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves of the Seri Ruam Thai Party
• 4.82% said nobody was suitable for the post
• 4.36% for Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai Party
• 2.27% for Cholnan Srikaew of the Pheu Thai Party
• 1.18% for Gen Prawit Wongsuwon of the Palang Pracharath Partty
• 1.00% for Anutin Charnvirakul of the Bhumjaithai Party
• 2.65% combined for Jurin Laksanawisit (Democrat), Kanchana Silpa-archa (Chartthaipattana), Warong Dechgitvigrom (Thai Pakdee), Mongkolkit Suksintaranon (Thai Civilised), Pirapan Salirathavibhaga (United Thai Nation) and Wan Muhamad Nor Matha (Prachachart).

Asked from which party their chosen constitutency MP would come, the answers were:

• 44.64% Pheu Thai
• 26.73% Move Forward
• 11.18% United Thai Nation
• 3.73% Seri Ruam Thai
• 2.91% Palang Pracharath
• 2.45% Democrat
• 2.09% Thai Sang Thai
• 1.82% still undecided
• 1.55% Bhumjaithai
• 1.27% Chartpattanakla
• 1.63% combined for Chartthaipattana, Kla, Thai Civilised, Sang Anakhot Thai, Thai Pakdee and Prachachart parties.

Asked which party they would vote for in the party-list system of proportional representation, the answers were:

• 45.82% Pheu Thai
• 25.73% Move Forward
• 11.55% United Thai Nation
• 4.09% Seri Ruam Thai
• 2.55% Democrat
• 2.36% Thai Sang Thai
• 2.18% Palang Pracharath
• 1.64% Bhumjaithai
• 1.55% still undecided
• 1.18% Chartpattanakla
• 1.35% combined for Kla, Chartthaipattana, Thai Civilised, Thai Pakdee, Prachachart and Sang Anakhot Thai parties.

In the 2019 election, Samut Prakan elected seven MPs. The Palang Pracharath Party captured six House seats and Future Forward (now Move Forward) one.