Thaksin falters in poll of Bangkok residents+

0 Comments | Asian Political News, Jan 1, 2001

BANGKOK, Dec. 27 Kyodo

Thai telecom king Thaksin Shinawatra is no longer favored for Thai prime minister by Bangkok residents, faltering badly after a national anti-graft body ruled he was guilty of deliberately concealing assets, an opinion poll Wednesday said.

According to an Assumption University poll of 1,425 Bangkok residents, only 10.4% of the respondents want Thaksin to be the prime minister after the Jan. 6 national election, leaving the former front-runner in fourth place.

Current Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai is now on top, preferred by 35.3% of the pollees.

The National Counter Corruption Commission ruled Tuesday that Thaksin failed to disclose assets worth 2.37 billion baht ($56 million). He could be banned from politics for five years if the Constitutional Court also finds he concealed the assets.