Thăm dò dư luận trước bầu cử ở Thái Lan: Yingluck vươn lên mạnh mẽ

Popular Yingluck sets the pace

Democrats 'must revise strategy' to catch up

Bangkok Post

Published: 23/05/2011

The Democrat Party needs to revise its election campaign strategy to catch up with the rising popularity of Yingluck Shinawatra, according to Abac Poll director Noppadol Kanikar.

A Democrat supporter, right, shouts to ask people to vote for number 10 while a People’s Alliance for Democracy campaigner, left, shows a Vote No placard as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva campaigns at Siam Square in Bangkok yesterday. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

Ms Yingluck's leadership image has improved significantly since the Pheu Thai Party named her as its prime ministerial candidate last week.

The youngest sister of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has dominated mainstream media coverage over the past week after she decided to run in the July 3 election as Pheu Thai's No 1 party list candidate.

Ms Yingluck's election campaign in Bangkok's Bang Kapi district on Friday was warmly welcomed by local people, while her first upcountry campaign in Chiang Mai and other northern provinces that ended yesterday drew tens of thousands of supporters who greeted her like a superstar.


The 44-year-old businesswoman-turned-politician has apparently overshadowed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his Democrat Party's campaign.

"There are reasons for the Democrats to fear [Ms Yingluck], considering a sharp increase in her popularity in various aspects," Mr Noppadol said.

Assumption University's poll centre interviewed 2,333 adults in 17 provinces from May 16-21 to gauge public opinion over the leadership images of Mr Abhisit and Ms Yingluck.

The survey was divided into two periods _ before and after the nomination of Ms Yingluck as a candidate for prime minister.

The result, released yesterday, showed that Ms Yingluck's leadership image improved significantly in all aspects, such as knowledge and capability, political ethics, honesty, vision, public acceptance and politeness, said Mr Noppadol.

Before the nomination, only 10.9% of respondents said Ms Yingluck has leadership characteristics, but the figure jumped to 20.4% after May 16.

Although Mr Abhisit's overall image was better than his rival's, his popularity has dropped in almost all aspects.

For example, the number of respondents viewing Mr Abhisit as a new-generation politician dropped from 42.8% to 36%, while his public acceptance was down from 49.6% to 47%.

Almost 60% of respondents said they wanted to see a debate between Mr Abhisit and Ms Yingluck.

"Democrats should push for the debate to happen because it will help boost Mr Abhisit's popularity, especially among voters who based their decision on content rather than public appearance," said the Abac Poll director.

The Democrat Party's key figure, meanwhile, shrugged off the poll's findings and vowed to press ahead with the election strategy.

Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said the poll showed that Mr Abhisit's leadership image was far better than that of Ms Yingluck.

Mr Suthep said he gave little weight to the poll as respondents could easily change their minds.

Korn Chatikavanij, the finance minister and deputy leader of the Democrat Party, said it was a little surprising that Ms Yingluck's popularity had risen.

He said the Democrats remained confident that voters would recognise the advantages in terms of experience and policy substance held by Mr Abhisit.

"[For Ms Yingluck], the most important policy put forth is essentially to help her older brother," Mr Korn told the Bangkok Post.

He said the personal qualifications of the two party leaders also offered a sharp contrast, with Mr Abhisit having a clear edge in terms of political experience over Ms Yingluck.

Komsan Pokong, a law lecturer at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said the results of the poll could reflect that most respondents might be fed up with the current government and Mr Abhisit, who have failed to accomplish some policies since they came to power two years ago.

Surichai Wun-gaeo, a political science lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, said Ms Yingluck was being introduced to Thai voters as "a new product" in the political market.

"So it is usual that customers are fond of that product without thinking deeply whether or not we will benefit from it,"said Mr Surichai.

Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, director of Sripathum University's Policy Watch Centre, said it was too early to conclude that Ms Yingluck had better leadership skills than Mr Abhisit.

Mr Somchai said Ms Yingluck's leadership image has significantly improved because she has made many public appearances since she was named Pheu Thai's PM candidate.

Mr Somchai said public opinion towards Mr Abhisit and Ms Yingluck could change in the next two or three weeks after people listened more to policies from the two candidates.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said the poll showed that Ms Yingluck was becoming much more popular than Mr Abhisit.

Ms Yingluck and the Pheu Thai candidates finished their election campaign in the northern provinces yesterday.

At Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Ms Yingluck and Pheu Thai's candidates for constituency MPs addressed about 20,000 supporters.

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/238340/popular-yingluck-sets-the-pace