Ex-PM Thaksin’s daughter leads opinion poll

Leading lady: Paetongtarn is an executive in the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party and began appearing at party rallies earlier this year. — AFP

The daughter of Thailand’s former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup and lives in self-imposed exile, has emerged as a leading candidate for premier in a preliminary opinion poll ahead of elections due next year.

The poll signals challenges for the current military-aligned government, with potential voters listing the two main opposition parties as their top two preferences, although many remained undecided.