Thailand's democratic development reached another milestone with Sunday's general election. In an unprecedented outpouring of support, voters gave the Thai Rak Thai party a clear mandate to return to office for a second term. Thai Rak Thai now looks set to form a single-party government. Despite some strong reservations at home and abroad about Thai Rak Thai's populist policies over the past four years, Thai voters have made their choice and all will need to respect it.

A lot of people now are praying the euphoria the Thai Rak Thai victory has generated among its supporters does not quickly turn to disappointment when it comes to the implementation _ or not _ of election promises and the return of realpolitik. The level of support voters threw behind Thai Rak Thai was so overwhelming it may leave some members of the new government feeling as if they can do almost as they wish _ their defeated counterparts on the opposition benches are totally devoid of the resources to perform their duties effectively.

As the unofficial vote count stood yesterday, the Democrat, Chart Thai and Mahachon parties will have only 124 seats between them in the lower house. This is one seat short of the constitutional requirement to back a motion of no-confidence against and so remove any cabinet minister found wanting. If at least one more seat cannot be found, the new Thai Rak Thai government _ with Thaksin Shinawatra at its head and all of his cabinet _ will be untouchable when the parliament reconvenes. The prime minister and his cabinet will be able to enact policies unburdened by monitoring through the traditional parliamentary mechanisms. The opposition will be reduced to no more than a paper tiger, one barely able to raise a growl, let alone a roar.

While it is still too early to comment on the new administration, history makes it difficult to believe it will not exploit the absence of an effective opposition for its own partisan ends. This is the most worrying aspect of Sunday's election outcome. But the Thai people have made their choice _ decisively _ and, despite any misgivings they may now have, we will all have to get along for another four years under Thai Rak Thai, its autocratic leader and its populist policies. That is the contract the people have made in voting so overwhelming for Thai Rak Thai. And, for his part, Mr Thaksin must now honour his promise to open up his administration to some form of checks and balances if his party's victory is to have true democratic meaning for its supporters and the Thai people generally.

Those disappointed with Sunday's result have been left only with the hope that the opposition, especially the Democrats, devote themselves fully to keeping a close watch on the performance of the new government. The opposition might not be able to censure members of the government, but it is authorised by law to question the performance of the prime minister and members of his cabinet through motions and interpellations put before the House. Questioning perceived ill-judgments can be a very effective check on the executive branch and have real rewards for the public. But only if the opposition has solid (not just point-scoring) grounds for its inquiries.

Members of the opposition must acknowledge their past performance has been wanting. This is reflected in the fact that they have failed to convince voters that a strong opposition is essential to effective government. Opposition parties have been their own worst enemy in the past by making too many empty charges against their political rivals in the chamber.

The Democrat party's huge election loss in all areas other than the South stems as much from its inability to provide an effective opposition as it does to its paucity of alternative polices to those of Thai Rak Thai. Let's hope the decision by Banyat Bantadtan to resign as party leader results in a major restructuring of the country's oldest political party. The Thai people must have someone watching Thai Rak Thai in parliament, no matter how small its voice in raising the alarm.