Thailand election winner’s policy stance is misstep, says opinion poll

BLOOMBERG

Move Forward Party’s unwavering stance to fulfill certain campaign promises made during the Thai general election is the main misstep behind its failure to form a new government, according to an opinion poll.
Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat lost his first premier vote after members of the Senate and pro-establishment parties voted against him.
They are opposed to his election pledge to amend the royal insult law, which penalises criticisms against the monarchy.
About 43% of respondents view the party’s policy insistence as a key factor contributing to inadequate support to successfully set up a new administration, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration.
The poll was conducted between July 24 and 26 among some 1,310 respondents nationwide.
Many senators have ruled out their support for any government coalition that includes Move Forward, which won the most seats in the election but whose progressive platforms have riled the royalist establishment.
About 27.6% of those surveyed said Move Forward was defeated in a political game in parliament, while 9.5% viewed the party as reckless for not checking Pita’s qualifications to be a prime ministerial candidate, according to Nida.
Thailand’s constitutional court suspended Pita as a lawmaker, pending a final verdict on his disqualification over alleged breach of election rules by holding shares in a media company.
Some 35.2% of respondents expect mass, yet controllable, political rallies to take place if Move Forward eventually becomes an opposition group in parliament, the Nida poll showed.