Paetongtarn "Ung Ing" Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has emerged ahead of potential rivals in a poll of favourites for prime minister, says the National Institute of Development Administration, or Nida Poll.
The survey was conducted on June 20-23 by telephone among 2,500 adults aged 18 and over throughout the country.
Asked to name the person they most liked for the job of prime minister, the front-runner was Ms Paetongtarn, the Pheu Thai Party's chief of the Inclusion and Innovation Adviser Committees, with 25.28%.
Respondents in this group said they wanted a member of the new generation to take over, they admire Pheu Thai's policies and because she is from the Shinawatra family.
Another 18.68% of respondents said they think nobody is proper to be prime minister at the moment.
Next up was the 13.24% who opted for Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party, because they like the party's policies and also consider him a member of a new generation of politicians qualified for the post.
Some 11.68% backed Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the current prime minister, because they think he is an honest and straightforward person.
And 6.8% chose Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party, saying she is honest and experienced, some adding that a woman should be put in charge.
Asked to name the party they support, 36.36% backed the Pheu Thai Party; 17.88% the Move Forward Party; 7% the Palang Pracharath Party; 6.32% the Democrat Party and 3.04% the Seri Ruam Thai Party.
Deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said the government was unmoved by the results as it was just a poll.
"The government doesn't feel anything about it. We are duty-bound to solve people's problems and we have tackled many of them," she said.
Government chief whip Nirote Sunthornlekha, a Nakhon Sawan MP from the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, said the next general election is still some way off, so he is not worried about the poll.
