Most Thais disagree with the leading plan of the coalition government that features military-backed groups, an opinion poll showed on Sunday, two days before a parliamentary vote to finish three months of political deadlock.
A survey by the National Institute of Development Administration found that about 64 percent of 1,310 respondents disagreed or completely disagreed with the thought of the Pheu Thai party forming a “special government” with its military-backed rivals.
Second-ranked Pheu Thai, founded by the family of self-exiled billionaire former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, took over efforts to form a government this month.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s daughter and one in all Pheu Thai’s three prime ministerial candidates, apologized on Sunday that the party had reneged on its election commitment by not joining pro-military parties.
“We need to make changes to keep the country healthy,” she told reporters. “Of course, Pheu Thai has a price to pay and that is people’s criticism. We humbly accept and apologize for the disappointment and sadness of many people.”
Paetongtarn added that the party would fully work to unravel the country’s problems if it were in a position to form a government.
Pheu Thai, which is anticipated to nominate one other candidate, real estate tycoon Sretta Thavisin, as prime minister in Tuesday’s vote, needs the support of greater than half of the bicameral legislature, including the military-appointed Senate.
Also on Tuesday, Thaksin is scheduled to return to Thailand despite his prison sentence, Paetongtarn said on Saturday.
On Sunday, she said Thaksin’s return had nothing to do with politics and she or he simply desired to return to her country.
Pheu Thai’s rule was overthrown by military coups in 2006 and 2014 – which overthrew Thaksin and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, respectively – when the party’s interests clashed with the country’s powerful old-money elites and the royalist army.
Sunday’s poll showed Paetongtarn can be the popular prime minister with 38.6% support, followed by Srettha with 36.6%.
On Thursday, Pheu Thai gained support from the military-backed rival United Thai Nation Party. A legislator from one other pro-military party, Palang Pracharat, said this month that the party would support Pheu Thai in attempting to break the prolonged deadlock.
