NEW SURVEY CONFIRMS PITA STILL FAVOURITES WITH THAI VOTERS

NEW SURVEY CONFIRMS PITA STILL FAVOURITES WITH THAI VOTERS

Pita Limjareonrat Thailand Time Magazine

The government’s not going to like it but the results of a new poll indicate that most Thais still want Pita Limjaroenrat and the Move Forward Party to lead the country.

A recent poll, conducted by the King Prajadhipok Institute, surveyed 1,020 people 18 years and older, between May 7 and 18. The findings indicate that most people would still choose the Move Forward Party, and former leader Pita, to govern them.

According to a Nation Thailand report, when asked if they were to vote in a constituency-based election, which party they would choose, the results were as follows:

• 35.7%: Move Forward

• 18.1%: Pheu Thai

• 11.2%: Bhumjaithai

• 9.2%: United Thai Nation

• 7.8%: Palang Pracharath

• 5%: Democrat

• 1.6%: Chart Thai Pattana

• 1.2%: Prachachart

• 10.2%: Undecided

Asked which party they’d vote for in a party-list election, those polled responded as follows:

• 44.9%: Move Forward

• 20.2%: Pheu Thai

• 10.9%: United Thai Nation

• 3.5%: Bhumjaithai

• 3%: Palang Pracharath

• 3%: Democrat

• 1.3%: Prachachart

• 0.7%: Chart Thai Pattana

• 12.5%: Undecided

Finally, when surveyed on who they would choose to be PM now, the responses were as follows:

• 46.9%: Pita Limjareonrat

– 17.7%: General Prayut Chan-o-cha, former PM

– 10.5%: Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Pheu Thai leader

– 8.7%: Srettha Thavisin, current PM

– 3.3%: Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhumjaithai leader and former public health minister

– 1.7%: Jurin Laksanawisit, former Democrat leader

– 0.4%: General Prawit Wongsuwan, Palang Pracharath leader, former deputy PM and luxury watch enthusiast

– 10.9%: Undecided

The Move Forward Party won the most votes in the country’s last general election in May 2023 (about 28% of the primary vote), but then leader Pita Limjaroenrat was blocked from becoming PM by conservative opposition MPs and the majority of senators (who were able to vote together in a joint sitting of the parliament).

The Constitutional Court subsequently cleared Pita of violating the constitution or election laws through his shareholdings in a defunct TV channel. However, another petition to have the Move Forward Party disbanded due to its pledge to amend Thailand’s lèse-majesté law, is currently before the same court.

The petition was filed by the Election Commission, which asserts that the party’s pledge amounts to an attempt to undermine the monarchy.