Prime Minister and Bhumjaithai (BJT) Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul topped the list of candidates for premiership, according to the latest survey by Khon Kaen University.
The survey, also known as the E-Saan Poll, was carried out to gauge the northeastern region’s household economic conditions and political preferences. The poll, conducted between Oct 3 and 5, 2025, sampled 1,074 respondents aged 18 and above from 20 provinces across the Northeast, according to Suthin Wianwiwat, director of the E-Saan Poll.
When asked, ‘If a general election were held today, who would you want to be prime minister?’ about 24.3% of respondents picked Mr Anutin, followed by opposition People’s Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut (22.8%), Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt (19.1%), businessman Natthaphong Khunakornwong who is close to the Pheu Thai Party (7%), Yoschanan Wongsawat, from Pheu Thai (6.6%), and Thai Sang Thai Party leader Sudarat Keyuraphan (6.3%).
When asked which party they would vote for in the constituency MP race if an election were held today, PP led with 30.6%, followed by Pheu Thai with 27.4% and BJT with 12.3%. About 20.1% of respondents were undecided or had other opinions.
For the party-list vote, results were similar: PP with 41.7%, Pheu Thai (20.6%), BJT (12.6%) and undecided (8.5%).
The E-Saan Poll noted that Mr Anutin’s personal popularity currently exceeds that of BJT, largely because both PP and Pheu Thai lack a clearly defined or high-profile prime ministerial candidate at this time.
Meanwhile, the poll noted Chadchart Sittipunt remains one of the most popular figures nationally. Analysts working believe the party which nominates him as its prime ministerial candidate could gain a significant advantage in the next election.