Most voters have already decided who, which party to vote for: Academic

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

MOST VOTERS HAVE MADE UP their minds by now as to who and which party to vote for in the May 14 general election, said a noted academic today (Apr.16).

Pattana Ruanjaidee, a lecturer of Ramkhamhaeng University’s Faculty of Law, concluded that most of an estimated 52 million eligible voters nationwide have already decided for themselves as to which candidate running in constituency-based mode and which party vying in party-listed mode to vote for, no matter what anyone may say from now until May 14.

Remarkably, those who may be as yet undecided over which candidate and party to pick in the nationwide election will be fairly outnumbered by those who already have, according to the Ramkhamhaeng law lecturer.

It remains to be seen whether the number of “swing voters” will considerably increase or reduce or roughly remain the same upon the election date whilst the Ramkhamhaeng academic declined to comment whether any vote-buying tricks could possibly change the voters’ minds and alleged electoral riggings could possibly more or less sway votes.

Pattana said Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat might probably secure more popularity for prime minister than Paetongtarn Shinawatra and other partisan contestants.

Though the latest NIDA Poll has found Paetongtarn, daughter of de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, the most popular for prime minister, the popularity for the Move Forward leader might gradually rise and that for the Pheu Thai contender might fairly drop as the nationwide election is approaching, the academic said.

Pattana commented that the Pheu Thai and Move Forward have been sharing the same bases of popular support throughout the country, figuratively featuring a see-saw between both liberal camps.

“The Pheu Thai need not worry about Prawit’s and Prayut’s camps which undoubtedly remain on the other end of the political spectrum. The Pheu Thai would rather be concerned over ways and means to make their campaign platforms substantially different from those of the Move Forward which might be probably stealing away the shared bases of popular support,” Pattana said.

Whilst the Move Forward is taking more resolute, anti-military campaign platforms, especially in terms of political ideologies, than the Pheu Thai, many people may spontaneously doubt the Pheu Thai will ultimately turn down a possible alliance with the Palang Pracharath, headed by Prawit Wongsuwan, after the May 14 election, the Ramkhamhaeng academic said.

The Pheu Thai is yet to clear up the people’s doubts over their campaign-pledged 10,000-baht digital wallet since such a populist policy has largely drawn criticism from rival camps and others, he said.

CAPTIONS:

Key candidates in the May 14, 2023 general election. Top photo: Thai Rath, Front Page photo: Matichon

Insert: Pattana Ruanjaidee, a lecturer of Ramkhamhaeng University’s Faculty of Law. Photo: Matichon

Also read: Paetongtarn still most popular for PM: NIDA Poll

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Pheu Thai’s digital wallet plan less costly than other parties’ schemes: Somchai

Pheu Thai’s promised digital wallet merely post-election payoff: Ex-senator

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