Paetongtarn Shinawatra led the pack of other potential candidates for prime minister among voters in the northeastern region, a Nida poll released on Sunday showed.
The survey by the National Institute of Development Administration found the youngest daughter of deposed prime minister Thaksin far ahead of other names. She was the candidate of choice for 36.45% of the respondents.
Move Forward Party chief Pita Limjaroenrat was behind her with 12.65%, slightly ahead of Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan of the Thai Sang Thai Party (and formally of Pheu Thai), who received 10.20%.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was fourth in the survey with just 9.85%.
Ms Paetongtarn was seen as a young gun of the Pheu Thai Party and could turn its policy into action, the poll gave as a reason for her popularity. "Some respondents said they liked the work of the Shinawatra family," it added.
The survey found 10.20% of people interviewed by phone for the poll remained undecided. The poll was conducted between Monday and Thursday in the northeastern region.
Its result was different from that of the E-Saan Poll released last month. The survery of the Saan Centre for Business and Economic Research placed Khunying Sudarat slightly ahead of Ms Paetongtarn.
The northeastern region is a voting base of Pheu Thai, except the area in the lower part which has long been controlled by the Bhumaithai Party.
The survey also showed 54.35% of voters would support Pheu Thai representatives in a new election and 51.40% would vote for party-list candiates of Pheu Thai.
