Most Esaan constituents prefer Thaksin’s daughter for PM: Poll

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

MOST NORTHEASTERN CONSTITUENTS, commonly known as Esaan villagers, would prefer Paetongtarn Shinawatra, daughter of de facto Pheu Thai Party boss Thaksin Shinawatra, for prime minister after the next general election, says an opinion poll.

According to Khon Kaen University’s Esaan Centre for Business & Economic Research poll recently conducted with 1,063 constituents in all 20 northeastern provinces, 24.9% of the respondents says they would prefer Paetongtarn for prime minister, given speculation that she be named among a trio of Pheu Thai candidates for head of a post-election government.

That compared to 20.1% of the Esaan respondents who says they would prefer Thai Sang Thai top leader Sudarat Keyurapan, 17.5% for Move Forward top leader Pita Limjaroenrat, 11.0% for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and 9.7% for Bhumjaithai top leader Anutin Charnvirakul, among others, for head of a post-election government.

Meanwhile, 36.3% of the Esaan respondents says they would vote for Pheu Thai contestants running in constituency-based mode, 16.1% for Move Forward contenders, 13.3% for Thai Sang Thai candidates, 10.8% for those running under the tickets of the party to which Prayut may belong in the next general election and 10.3% for Bhumjaithai contenders, among others.

Prayut who has been allowed by court to prolong his rule for about two more years after the nationwide election is largely speculated to contest under the banners of the brand-new Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party which has reportedly planned to name him as a partisan candidate for prime minister.

The northeastern region constitutes most of the country’s 400 constituencies and could potentially become the most decisive battleground in the race to parliament.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Front Page: Pheu Thai Party members at a meeting. Both photos: Matichon

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