Support for Anutin and Bhumjaithai falls in latest NIDA Poll
NIDA Poll’s Q3 survey puts Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut first in prime minister preference at 24.72%, while Pheu Thai gains and Bhumjaithai falls to 12.08% in party support.
- A NIDA poll for the third quarter of 2026 shows a significant fall in support for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, whose personal preference rating dropped by 15.64 percentage points since the first quarter.
- Anutin is now the third most popular choice for prime minister with 13.76% support, trailing Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut (24.72%) and the 'no suitable candidate' option (19.80%).
- The Bhumjaithai Party's popularity has also declined sharply, falling by 14.52 percentage points since the first quarter to become the third most-supported party.
- While Bhumjaithai's support has fallen, the Pheu Thai Party has gained ground, with its popularity increasing by 6.40 percentage points over the same period.
Support for Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and the Bhumjaithai Party fell further in the third quarter of 2026, while Pheu Thai continued to gain ground, according to NIDA Poll’s latest quarterly political popularity survey.
Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut of the People’s Party remained the leading named choice for prime minister, with 24.72%.
NIDA Poll, the opinion survey centre at the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), conducted the survey between September 18 and 23 among people aged 18 and over across Thailand, covering respondents from different regions, education levels, occupations and income groups.
Natthaphong leads prime minister preference
Asked whom they would support as prime minister if they were choosing today, respondents gave the following answers:
- Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, People’s Party — 24.72%
- No suitable candidate — 19.80%
- Anutin Charnvirakul, Bhumjaithai Party — 13.76%
- Yodchanan Wongsawat, Pheu Thai Party — 11.28%
- Abhisit Vejjajiva, Democrat Party — 9.60%
- Dr Warong Dechgitvigrom, Thaipakdee Party — 5.68%
- Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, Thai Sang Thai Party — 2.64%
- Pol Lt Gen Rewat Klinkesorn, Rak Muang Thai Party — 2.36%
- Pol Gen Sereepisuth Teemeeyaves, Thai Liberal Party — 2.24%
- Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha — 1.52%
- Gen Rangsi Kitiyansap, Economic Party — 1.48%
- Pirapan Salirathavibhaga, United Thai Nation Party — 1.40%
- Julapun Amornvivat, Pheu Thai Party — 1.08%
A further 2.44% named other figures, including Treenuch Thienthong of the Palang Pracharath Party; Capt Thammanat Prompao of the Kla Tham Party; Jatuporn Buruspat of the New Opportunity Party; Parit Wacharasindhu and Rukchanok Srinork of the People’s Party.
People’s Party remains first in party preference
When respondents were asked which political party they would support if they were choosing today, the results were:
- People’s Party — 35.40%
- Pheu Thai Party — 18.44%
- Bhumjaithai Party — 12.08%
- Democrat Party — 9.80%
- No suitable party — 7.64%
- Thaipakdee Party — 4.68%
- United Thai Nation Party — 2.16%
- Thai Sang Thai Party — 1.80%
- Rak Muang Thai Party — 1.80%
- Thai Liberal Party — 1.72%
- Economic Party — 1.52%
- Other parties — 2.76%
- No answer or not interested — 0.20%
The other parties named by respondents included the Kla Tham, Palang Pracharath, New Opportunity, Prachachat, Thai Ruam Palang, New Alternative and Movement parties.
Anutin records further decline as Pheu Thai rises
Natthaphong’s support in the prime minister preference question has declined across the three quarterly surveys, from 30.60% in the first quarter to 26.08% in the second and 24.72% in the latest poll. That represents a decline of 5.88 percentage points from the first-quarter level.
Anutin recorded a larger fall, from 29.40% in the first quarter to 21.68% in the second and 13.76% in the third, a decrease of 15.64 percentage points from the first quarter.
Yodchanan rose from 8.08% in the first quarter to 11.64% in the second, before easing slightly to 11.28% in the latest survey. Abhisit moved from 10.92% to 11.80% and then 9.60%, while Warong’s support increased at each reading, from 1.56% to 4.08% and then 5.68%.
Party support showed a different pattern for the three largest parties. The People’s Party recorded 35.80% in the first quarter, 34.80% in the second and 35.40% in the third, leaving its latest result close to its first-quarter level.
Support for Pheu Thai increased from 12.04% to 16.84% and then 18.44%, a rise of 6.40 percentage points from the first quarter to the third.
Bhumjaithai moved in the opposite direction, falling from 26.60% in the first quarter to 17.00% in the second and 12.08% in the latest survey, a decline of 14.52 percentage points from its first-quarter result.
