By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PEOPLE’S LEADER Nattapong Ruengpanyawut has been found the most favourite to become prime minister whilst the reformist party has come up as the most favourite camp to become the largest elected one in both party-listed and constituency-based modes of the Feb,8 election, followed by the Bhumjaithai, according to the latest NIDA poll entitled “First Round of the 2026 Election.”
The reliable opinion poll, conducted earlier this month among a total of 2,500 people in all walks of life nationwide, has found 24% of the respondents say they would prefer to see Nattapong named prime minister following the general election, followed by 20% who say they would prefer to see Caretaker Prime Minister/Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul retain his elected premiership whilst 14% say they could not find anyone “suitable” for prime minister for the time being.
The NIDA poll has found 12% of the respondents say they wish to see Democrat leader/former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva return as head of government and 9% say they would prefer to see de facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra’s nephew/Pheu Thai contestant Yodchanan Wongsawat named head of the executive branch following the nationwide race to parliament.
In party-listed mode of the election, 30% of the respondents say they will vote for the reformist People’s contestants, compared to 22% who say they will pick the ultra-conservative Bhumjaithai, core of the caretaker government under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, 15% say they will tick on the neo-conservative Pheu Thai, 12% say they will endorse the Old School conservative Democrats and 7% say they were undecided for the time being.
In constituency-based mode, 30% of the respondents say they will pick the People’s contestants, compared to 22% who say they will vote for the Bhumjaithai, 15% for the Pheu Thai, 12% for the Democrats and 8% who say they were undecided as yet, according to the NIDA poll.
In the 2023 election, the then-Move Forward came up as the largest elected camp with 151 MPs, followed by the Pheu Thai with 141 MPs and the Bhumjaithai with 71 MPs, among others. Due to 2024’s dissolution of the Move Forward at the order of the Constitutional Court, the reformist camp was practically resurrected under the name of the People’s since.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page – People’s leader Nattapong Ruengpanyawut and his team campaigning in Bangkok’s Lad Phrao area last week. Photos – Thai Rath
Insert – Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul campaigning at Siam Square today, Jan. 11. 2026. Photo – Thai Rath
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