Bangkok, 22 February
A recent opinion polls for the upcoming general election in Thailand has shown that political newcomer Paetongtarn, the daughter of ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, stood on top of the list of prime minister preferences ahead of incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.
The new survey found that out of 1,571 people, 28.5 per cent of the respondents are in favour of Paethongtarn, 36 years, compared to 25.7 per cent for the 68-year old former military general Prayut.
Thailand’s the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) started the poll in September last year.
The survey by Super Poll, a private research agency, recently found that Prayuth topped in Bangkok among a third of those surveyed, followed by Paetongtarn with 21.3 percent of respondents in the capital.
The second largest economy in Southeast Asia’s upcoming general election is expected to become a bitter contest in the center of 17-year long political complication of the country.
Pheu Thai party, now led by Ms Paethongtarn, was the most popular and strongest political party in northeast of the country won every elections in the past two decades. However, its governments were ousted by the military in coup d’état.
Mr Prayut who removed the government of Shinawatra, the aunty of Ms Paethongtarn in 2014, will join the new party in next general election.
Ms Paetongtarn at the weekend told Reuters that military intervention had made Thailand go backwards and said it was time for bigger reforms to address festering problems.
News—Than Lwin Times
Ref—Strait Times
Thanlwintimes