Pongsapat ahead: polls

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- "Bored with conflicts", "wanting change for Bangkok" and "interesting policies" are major reasons Bangkok voters want to give Pheu Thai Party candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen a chance to become the next Bangkok governor, according to Abac poll results released yesterday.

Pongsapat has left behind Democrat Party candidate MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra, who has declined in popularity in recent polls. Pongsapat's popularity has risen steadily from 32 per cent on the candidate registration day to 43 per cent, but Sukhumbhand has suffered a waning job approval rating from 37 per cent on the candidate registration day to 33 per cent now, thus widening the gap between the two.

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The poll was conducted on 1,673 respondents from Thursday to Saturday.

Of 1,250 respondents surveyed by Dusit poll, 61 per cent said they would change their minds if other candidates had better policies than the one they had earlier wanted. Some 17 per cent said they would change if other candidates enjoyed more public sentiment.

Meanwhile Green Politics group coordinator Suriyasai Katasila downplayed poll results, saying pollsters have shown results many times that did not reflect reality.

He voiced concern that Bangkok voters were being misled by opinion polls that focused only on individual candidates and not their policies, and on candidates who have not detailed their policies or met their target groups.

Suriyasai pointed out that four major pollsters; Abac poll, Dusit Poll, Sriprathum poll and Nida poll showed wrong exit results during the July 3, 2011 general election. The poll results showed that Pheu Thai would win more than 20 seats, but the party actually won 10 seats.

When ML Nattakorn Devakula joined the gubernatorial race in 2009, many pollsters said he had polled well - but Sukhumbhand won the election.

He suggested that Thai pollsters improve their academic merit by going deeper into topics that are useful and not just focusing on popularity, which is easy, and poll results carrying high error margins.

He said if pollsters asked questions in depth, focusing on policies and different target groups, the surveys would be more useful to the election.

"For instance the policy to crack down on street hawkers: the middle and upper classes may like it but not the lower income earners. Pollsters should survey the under-privileged groups on what they wanted from candidates," he said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she and Pheu Thai Party continued to work hard to help their candidate campaign for votes, not because they did not believe the polls which showed Pongsapat has a clear lead. She said the party wanted to make sure its policies reached the target voters.

"We thank pollsters because they are actually a boost for us to keep working harder. But it is all up to judgement day when voters go to the poll," she said.

Sukhumbhand reacted with a long face when he was asked about the poll results not being in his favour as the gap between him and Pongsapat got bigger. But he said: "I am not perturbed. Wait till March 3."

-- The Nation 2013-02-04

Hardly ahead when polled across less than 1,000 people in 'favourable' areas.

Ah Thailand the hub of what do you want proven we will have a poll and prove it. More than likley paid for by the PT and a list of names given to use in the poll.

Is there any reliable polls in Thailand.

And the voter turnout is likely to be? 50-60% perhaps.

This will cause a furore with the obsessives on here if he wins. Much akin to the meltdown that happened after the general election.

This will cause a furore with the obsessives on here if he wins. Much akin to the meltdown that happened after the general election.

Back when you were reading the forum as a guest, eh?.

Anyway, the apologist obsessives will have a field day if he wins.

Hardly ahead when polled across less than 1,000 people in 'favourable' areas.

And after the by elections in Bangkok which didn't look good for PTP.

Don't know if it is possible to register a lot people from upcountry in Bangkok just for the election?

Hardly ahead when polled across less than 1,000 people in 'favourable' areas.

And after the by elections in Bangkok which didn't look good for PTP.

Don't know if it is possible to register a lot people from upcountry in Bangkok just for the election?

How many of the 1250 surveyed were eligible to vote, and of the eligible, how many intend to? Basic questions which have a big effect on poll accuracy.

If Pongsapat is elected, the Thai people deserve everything they get from this government.

Hardly ahead when polled across less than 1,000 people in 'favourable' areas.

And after the by elections in Bangkok which didn't look good for PTP.

Don't know if it is possible to register a lot people from upcountry in Bangkok just for the election?

How many of the 1250 surveyed were eligible to vote, and of the eligible, how many intend to? Basic questions which have a big effect on poll accuracy.

Well common praxis on a pol is that if you need 1250 people, you take a 125 and made the rest up to save time without your superior know is......

I don't know if it is possible in Thailand to just let 1 Million of your party members from Upcountry register in Bangkok, to beef up your numbers?

It was common at the elections at university in Austria.

Because I know about a lot people who were pro PTP but got very anti after the floodings.

If Pongsapat is elected, the Thai people deserve everything they get from this government.

Don't they deserve it now?

You do have to feel a little sorry for poor old Sukhumbhand, having to solicit votes for a party led by Abhisit would amount to mission impossible.

Ah Thailand the hub of what do you want proven we will have a poll and prove it. More than likley paid for by the PT and a list of names given to use in the poll.

Is there any reliable polls in Thailand.

Dems last claim to credibility ' at least the educated middle classes vote for us' going down the river. Not only Northern oiks support Thaksin now the educated middle classes do. Puts tin hat on

Hardly ahead when polled across less than 1,000 people in 'favourable' areas.

And after the by elections in Bangkok which didn't look good for PTP.

Don't know if it is possible to register a lot people from upcountry in Bangkok just for the election?

How many of the 1250 surveyed were eligible to vote, and of the eligible, how many intend to? Basic questions which have a big effect on poll accuracy.

Well common praxis on a pol is that if you need 1250 people, you take a 125 and made the rest up to save time without your superior know is......

I don't know if it is possible in Thailand to just let 1 Million of your party members from Upcountry register in Bangkok, to beef up your numbers?

It was common at the elections at university in Austria.

Because I know about a lot people who were pro PTP but got very anti after the floodings.

THose are p1ss poor excuses for an ailing political party. Bit like the PTT did not get more than 50% of the voters at the last election. They had a 100 seat majority before they formed a coalition . Pipe and smoke it

Edited February 4, 201313 yr by backtonormal

The Dems have become the Washington Generals of Thai politics.