Polls & Research

No Favourites in Thailand’s Political Scene

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many Thai adults do not know which party to support in the legislative election tentatively scheduled for September, according to a poll by ABAC. 57 per cent of respondents remain undecided.

The Thai Love Thais Party - Phak Thai Rak Thai (TRT)—which governed from February 2001 to September 2006—is first with 22 per cent, followed by the Democrat Party - Phak Prachatipat (PP) with 17 per cent, and the Thai Nation Party - Phak Chart Thai (PCT) with three per cent.

In April 2006, a general election was held after TRT leader Thaksin Shinawatra decided to dissolve the House of Representatives. The prime minister faced a series of public demonstrations after the Shinawatra and Dhamapong families sold their combined 49.6 per cent shares in the SHIN telecommunications empire to Singapore's Temasek Holdings, in a transaction estimated at $1.88 billion U.S.

In May 2006, Thailand's Constitutional Court ruled, in an 8-6 decision, that the April general election was unconstitutional. In September, the Thai Armed Forces enacted a military coup. The group declared martial law, suspended the constitution, affirmed their loyalty to the King, and released a statement, which read: "We ask for the cooperation of the public and ask your pardon for the inconvenience." Surayud Chulanont was later appointed as the new head of government.

The current government has vowed to hold a general election in September. Earlier this month, PP deputy leader Alongkorn Polabutr proposed holding the ballot on Nov. 4, to allow the country to "recover from political, security and economic stagnation", adding, "Confidence will be restored and the country can move past the crisis."

Polling Data

What party would vote for in the next election?