Paetongtarn's popularity surges amid launch of 10,000-baht handout
However, ruling Pheu Thai still lags opposition People’s Party in latest public poll
Ruling Pheu Thai Party members are in high spirits after seeing Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's popularity soar in the latest NIDA poll.
The PM’s approval rating surged to 31.35% in the third quarter, jumping 26.5% from her low point of 4.85% in the second quarter.
The latest poll results were released shortly after Paetongtarn took office and coincided with the launch of Pheu Thai’s flagship 10,000-baht cash/digital payment policy targeting around 45 million adults.
The euphoria of people happily pocketing the handouts may be a key factor in boosting Paetongtarn's popularity, with the return of the Shinawatra brand likely contributing to the surge.
Thaksin Shinawatra, widely regarded as Pheu Thai’s de fact leader, has taken a low profile, apparently content to let his daughter Paetongtarn shine and prove her ability.
Thaksin has avoided the spotlight since his high-impact appearance at August’s "Dinner Talk: Vision for Thailand 2024" event hosted by Nation Group. At the event, his insights on the economy, politics, and society prompted observers to dub him “the real prime minister”.
However, the success of government policies, regardless of who initiates them, are usually attributed to the current leader when they take effect.
The cash handouts quickly won public approval, contrasting with the low popularity of Paetongtarn’s immediate predecessor, PM Srettha Thavisin. Although Srettha was the one who introduced the digital wallet scheme, it became bogged down by conditions, limitations, and legal concerns, sparking criticism from various agencies including the Bank of Thailand.
As a result, many citizens had resigned themselves to the slim chance of receiving the 10,000-baht handout.
However, with a new leader and a simple adjustment – distributing the cash with no major restrictions – opposition from agencies faded.
The 10,000-baht handout has also bolstered Paetongtarn’s policy statement, with its motto: “We will create fair opportunities for all Thais to have enough to eat and live with dignity”.
For now, the handouts are helping people to buy food, medicine, and other necessities, granting them temporary empowerment and dignity. But once the money runs out, life may return to its usual struggles.
This link between cash handouts and the leader's popularity could put pressure on the PM to expand the scope and frequency of giveaways to maintain public favour.
As future election campaigns roll around, rival political parties may feel compelled to outdo each other with similar schemes to win votes and support.
While Paetongtarn leads in the NIDA poll, Pheu Thai’s rating trails behind that of the People’s Party, a point worth noting.
This gap between individual popularity and party ratings could reflect the continued strength of the People’s Party, or it may signal internal issues within Pheu Thai itself.
