Pheu Thai Still In Lead For May’s Election But Move Forward Have Preferred PM

The latest opinion poll for the Daily News (April 8-14) has Pheu Thai in the lead, consistent with the last Nida poll, but on a lot lower 38.9% with the difference mainly going to Move Forward on 32.4%. Elections are to be held on May 14 and are hoped to be a move away from military influence.

• The poll has the military-connected Palang Pracharath on 1.6% and the party of the current PM, United Thai Nation, on 12.8%.
• Unlike the Nida poll, the Daily News has Move Forward’s Pita as the preferred PM on 29.4% compared with Pheu Thai’s Paetongtarn on 23.2% and current PM Prayut on 13.7%. Pro-democracy, anti-establishment Move Forward is campaigning on de-centralising the economy into the regions, taking down monopolies and de-mililtarising.
• The Election Commission has said that 70 parties going into May’s poll have presented their election proposals and they will be assessed for legality this week. If they are found to use deception, slander or threats, then the party can be dissolved. There is a risk that leading party Pheu Thai’s promise of a THB 10k digital wallet will be found to be unviable due to its cost, according to the Bangkok Post.
• Deputy PM Prawit of Palang Pracharath has said that following the election the first thing that needs to be considered in forming a government is the election results. He said that it is important for the government to have more than the required 376 votes from the joint parliament. He noted that negotiations are key and that they don’t usually go as expected.