Opposition Pheu Thai Party's Paetongtarn Leads In Poll For Most Preferred PM

Paetongtarn Shinawatra of the main opposition Pheu Thai Party is the leading candidate for the next Prime Minister, according to a poll conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida) last week.

• Paetongtarn, daughter of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, topped the poll for the most preferred leader with 25.28%.
• Respondents who picked Paetongtarn cited her young age, links to the Shinawatra family and Pheu Thai policies.
• Support for PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha slid for a fourth consecutive quarter to 11.68%. This put him behind Pita Limjaroenrat of the opposition Move forward Party, with 13.24%.
• The Pheu Thai Party topped the party poll with 36.36%, followed by the Move Forward Party (17.88%) and the Palang Pracharath Party (6.32%), in line with the affiliations of prime ministerial candidates.
• The government has been facing criticism over its handling of the post-COVID economic recovery and the upcoming censure debate will provide yet another opportunity for the opposition to grill PM Prayuth and his ministers.
• The government has played down the no-confidence motion and the latest Nida poll, but is evidently facing intensifying headwinds, with recent press reports pointing to tensions between ruling coalition partners.
• Thailand is due to hold the next general election by March 2023.