Just over a week before the general election on 8 February, a national poll shows that the progressive party is clearly ahead among voters, followed by Pheu Thai and Prime Minister Anutin's Bhumjaithai. The country’s Catholic bishops urge the faithful to vote responsibly, based on the common good, human dignity, and social justice.

Bangkok (AsiaNews) – With just over a week to go until voting on 8 February, Thailand's progressive People's Party maintains a clear lead over second place Pheu Thai, and incumbent Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Bhumjaithai Party, this according to the Rajabhat poll, conducted nationwide by a network of public universities, primarily in provincial areas.

The survey was conducted between 19 and 25 January with a sample of 11,700 people. When asked who they would prefer as prime minister, 39.2 per cent of respondents said Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut, leader of the People's Party. His popularity has increased by almost 7 percentage points over December.

Support for Yodchanan Wongsawat of Pheu Thai stood at 15.9 per cent, while Anutin Charnvirakul of Bhumjaithai, at 15.2 per cent. Democratic Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva received 9.1 per cent, while Pirapan Salirathavibhaga (United Thai Nation) and Thammanat Prompow (Klatham) received 3.3 per cent and 2.3 per cent, respectively.

An additional 12.9 per cent expressed preferences for other candidates.

Among the three main contenders, the most notable finding is Anutin Charnvirakul's decline in popularity, losing 9.2 percentage points, while Yodchanan Wongsawat recorded a gain of 7.5 points.

Even in voting intentions for the 100 seats allocated through the proportional system (based on party lists), the People's Party remains in the lead with 38.8 per cent, followed by Pheu Thai at 17.9 per cent and Bhumjaithai at 15.6 per cent, down 5.7 points.

The winners in the 400 single-member constituencies are more difficult to predict, but Bhumjaithai could still emerge as the leading party in Parliament thanks to its deep-rooted territorial presence, winning around 150 seats.

The People's Party, which won 141 seats in the previous election, could drop to between 100 and 120. As for Pheu Thai, forecasting is the most uncertain, with estimates ranging between 45 and 120 seats.

However, over 70 per cent of respondents said they intend to vote for the same party in both colleges.

The Rajabhat survey also noted that voters are less interested in individual figures than in effective policy proposals. For example, economic measures related to income and daily life were the most important factor for 52.9 per cent of respondents, reflecting widespread concern over the rising cost of living.

Heir to Pita Limjaroenrat and his Move Forward party, which won the last election but was excluded from political life by a court decision backed by the conservative, pro-military establishment, Natthaphong Rueangpanyawut wrote on Facebook yesterday: “We are ready to translate votes into the formation of a government and deliver a tangible change”.

The Catholic Church also waded in the election campaign. On Tuesday, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand (CBCT) released a pastoral letter urging the faithful to vote responsibly.

In his message to parishes across the country, CBCT President Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana noted that voting was not merely a civil right.

“The Church invites all Christians to recognize that voting is a moral obligation for the common good,” he said. “Exercising the right to vote is not simply a legal duty, but a moral requirement that citizens must collectively fulfill for the good of society.”

Citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the prelate emphasised that citizens contribute to the common good through concrete actions, adding that abstaining from voting is equivalent to shirking one's civic responsibilities.

At the same time, democratic participation does not end with the vote.

“Participation includes monitoring, scrutinizing, and upholding moral truth at every stage of the electoral process,” the statement said, specifying that abstention can be morally justified only in exceptional cases, when no candidate meets minimum ethical standards.

The bishops also warned against a reductive view of democracy: "True democracy is not merely the result of laws and regulations," said Archbishop Vira, “but arises from the acceptance of fundamental values such as human dignity, human rights, and the common good.”

In the absence of these values, he warned, citing the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, democracy risks turning into a “disguised dictatorship”.

Inspired by Scripture, the CBCT calls on voters to choose leaders who are "capable, God-fearing, trustworthy, and incorruptible,” urging them to pick candidates who respect human dignity, prioritise the common good over personal or factional interests, and show genuine concern for local communities, especially the poor and vulnerable.

The bishops also appealed to political leaders and public officials for integrity, warning that even small acts of vote-buying or electoral fraud sow the seeds of corruption that can destroy a nation.

While acknowledging the current political challenges, including growing polarisation in society, the Church expressed hope that the election on 8 February could become “a testament to our love for God and for one another.”

• thailand
• elections
• survey
• catholic church