Chadchart Sittipunt, the former transport minister in the Yingluck Shinawatra administration running as an independent in the upcoming Bangkok gubernatorial election, still leads other potential candidates by a huge margin, according to a monthly survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
Current governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang placed second -- with less than a third of Mr Chadchart's support -- while an unspecified "candidate from the Palang Pracharath Party" placed ninth with less than 1.5%.
The 10th monthly survey by Nida was conducted on Jan 31-Feb 2 on 1,324 eligible voters aged 18 and over of various levels of education and occupations in Bangkok to guage the populatity of candidates in the election tentatively set for May.
Asked whom they would vote for in the election, the answers were as follows:
- 37.24% for Chadchart Sittipunt, an independent;
- 12.09% for Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang; the current governor of Bangkok;
- 11.03% for Suchatvee Suwansawat, a candidate for the Democrat Party;
- 8.31% for a candidate from the Pheu Thai Party;
- 8.08% for Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a candidate from the Move Forward Party;
- 3.55% for Rossana Tositrakul, an independent;
- 1.81% for Sakoltee Phattiyakul, a Bangkok deputy governor;
- 1.51% for a candidate from the Kla Party;
- 1.28% for a candidate from the Palang Pracharath Party;
- 0.83% combined for candidates from other parties.
Of the rest, 6.72% would tick the "no vote" box; 5.59% were still undecided whom to vote for; and 1.96% would not go to the polls.
