Pheu Thai beats PPRP

Pheu Thai beats PPRP

Decline in PM’s popularity seen as hurting govt party

The ruling Palang Pracharath Party was defeated by the main opposition Pheu Thai Party in yesterday’s by-election for Constituency 9 in Bangkok, with scholars saying the outcome has reflected a decline in the ruling party’s popularity and that of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

According to an unofficial result of the poll as of 8pm yesterday, Surachart Thienthong of Pheu Thai came top with 28,015 votes, ahead of Move Forward Party’s Karunpol Thiansuwan (19,290), Atavit Suwannapakdee of the Kla Party (18,505) and the PPRP’s Saralrasmi Jenjaka (7,720).

Commenting on the unofficial result, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a former election commissioner and director of Rangsit University’s centre for political research and development, said if the…