In Thailand, Move Forward candidate more popular than Prayut in PM poll

While the largest percentage of Thais, 27.6%, said they were “yet to see anybody suitable for the post of Thai PM, Move Forward Party candidate 41 year old Pita Limjaroenrat is slightly ahead of current PM Prayut. 13.4% of respondents prefer Pita, while 12.7% prefer Prayut.

This means that Pita is now the country’s most preferred candidate, followed by Prayut, then Paethongtan Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party, and then Khunying Sudarat, leader of the Thai Srang Thai Party. The next candidates on the list represent a wide variety of political parties. 3.6% of respondents said they had no answers, or were not interested.

The poll was conducted over five days from March 10-15. Respondents were Thais from across the country 18 years old and above, with diverse jobs and levels of education.

Thailand’s ruling military-backed government forced the progressive Future Forward Party to dissolve in 2020. Former members of the party then formed the Move Forward Party. Thailand has seen unrest since the current government came to power in a coup in 2014. In the summer of 2020, a wave of protests movements began among Thailand’s university students, and eventually expanded into many parts of Thai society.

Thailand’s junta government, as well as institutions like universities, continue to silence descent by accusing activists of violating censorship laws and “disrespecting Thai culture“, among other things.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post