Pheu Thai’s ‘unity govt’ plan is not very unifying, Nida poll finds

The nationwide telephone survey of 1,310 Thais at least 18 years old was carried out from August 15 to 17 and the results were announced on Sunday.

After receiving the baton from the party that won the most seats in the May 14 election, the Move Forward Party, to try to form a coalition government, Pheu Thai has repeatedly said it wants to end polarisation and political conflict. It will accomplish this by bringing both sides of the political divide into a single coalition, it explained. This will also allow a new government to be formed as soon as possible, Pheu Thai members say.

Asked whether they support the Pheu Thai’s plan to set up a unity government by ending the polarised politics, respondents said:

- 47.71%: Totally disagree

- 19.47%: Totally agree

- 16.79%: Quite disagree

- 15.11% Quite agree

- 0.92%: No comment

The Nida Poll also found that a large portion of the respondents had never voted for Pheu Thai or did not vote for the party in the May 14 election, which may have skewed the survey’s results.

Asked whether they had voted for Pheu Thai, respondents said:

- 39.62%: Have never voted for either Pheu Thai or its predecessors (Thai Rak Thai or People’s Power).

- 33.13%: Have voted for Pheu Thai or its predecessors, including in the May 14 election

- 26.72%: Have voted for Pheu Thai or its predecessors, but not in the May 14 election.

- 0.53%: Have never voted at all.

Asked which Pheu Thai PM candidate they favour, respondents replied:

- 38.63%: Paetongtarn Shinawatra

- 36.56%: Srettha Thavisin

- 8.47%: Chaikasem Nitisir

- 16.34%: No comment

Asked how they regard the relationship between the Pheu Thai and Move Forward, respondents replied:

- 49.85: Arch political rivals

- 27.33%: Just know each other

- 20.99%: Good allies

- 1.83%: No comment