From the Skype meetings to the speech in Mongolia, from the military cleared of all charges and the rally against the Constitution Court _ join the dots and we can see pressure being brought to bear.
The desired result of all of these moves is the triumphant return of the Man in Dubai, or in Hong Kong, Siem Reap, or wherever.
If we can assume that on Monday, in Mongolia, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra revealed what is in her heart, then I say it's about time. Whether one agrees with what she said is irrelevant; appreciation for the national leader for speaking honestly is the point.
Perhaps her mistake was displaying such honesty in a foreign land in front of foreigners; hence her being called a traitor. After all, it is very much against Thai custom to talk "critically" about Thailand to foreigners. But I'm not one for convention. Speak your heart and mind wherever and to whomever you wish, I say. After all, that's how I make a living.
Her criticism of the military coup and various agencies, as well as the sound tactic of throwing out catchwords like "democracy" and "the people" every other breath, have already been much discussed. I use the strategy often myself. It works well.
However, there are other developments worth connecting. After all, political actions are supposed to be a consequence of a carefully planned strategy, putting the pieces (or pawns, if you like) in the right places to accomplish a goal.
In March, through a Skype meeting, Thaksin ordered the Pheu Thai Party to speed up the push for an amnesty law. The political developments afterwards are but a chain of actions meant to keep the boss happy.
On Wednesday, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) cleared the military of any wrongdoing during the troubles of April and May 2010 that led to 91 deaths. This is a significant gesture that says: "You are still too powerful, so we are not going to mess with you."
The gesture further says: "We would rather have you as an ally, as there are many mutual benefits to be had. In this ongoing struggle for amnesty, please just sit back and chill. We don't mess with you. You don't mess with us. We even clear you of all charges. Call it a gift, a gesture of goodwill."
Meanwhile, the DSI continues to point the finger at senior Democrats Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban as the sole culprits behind the tragedy. The DSI has also set up a panel to study the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship's (UDD) request to dismiss terrorism charges against several red shirts.
If you, dear readers, suspect that I'm writing about the DSI as if the agency is an instrument of the Shinawatra political machine, then you might be on to something. After all, in this political struggle, both sides are using agencies to further their ends.
Moving on, we have hundreds of UDD members protesting against the Constitution Court. They condemn the court for being an undemocratic instrument of the old establishment and are demanding that all of its nine judges be removed. This is the court that banned both Thai Rak Thai and the People Power Party.
On Monday, we had Ms Yingluck's speech at the aptly named Community of Democracy conference in Mongolia, a speech that specifically targeted the military coup, as well as other undemocratic methods and agencies that victimise democracy.
She condemned the wrongs that have been done to her brother Thaksin, the democratically elected prime minister who was unjustly deposed. She said selflessly that if it were only her family who was suffering from the injustice, perhaps she could abide by it. But it's the people and democracy that truly suffer, and hence she must make the appeal for justice to the international Community for Democracy.
Personally, I think this is good stuff. The plot, the catchwords and the emotional appeal all ring true, even if it's the truth from only one side of the coin.
But that's the tried and true art of persuasion, to present only one side of the coin, with the word "truth" capitalised and bolded in red. The other side of the coin, of course, belongs to the Democrats, with their "truth" capitalised and bolded in blue.
Then there was another Skype meeting between Thaksin and Pheu Thai politicians on Tuesday.
According to a source quoted in the Bangkok Post, Thaksin said: "I want to come home. Tell the Democrat Party not to worry. If I come back, I don't want anything, I won't ask for any positions. [I would] let Prime Minister Yingluck continue to run the country."
In this Skype meeting, Thaksin is also said to have thrown his support behind the reconciliation bill proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, who himself admitted the bill is designed to bring Thaksin back home.
So the military is in the clear and hopefully is another step closer to becoming a friend. The DSI does its bit for friends and foes. The prime minister does her job in the democracy roadshow, garnering international support. The UDD performs its duty in pressuring the Constitution Court and stirring public sentiment.
Mr Chalerm pushes the bill that will lead to Thaksin's return. The man himself holds Skype meetings to make sure everyone does their job. Meanwhile, Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep are further isolated and pressured into accepting the bill.
There you have it. Connect the dots and we can then pressure being brought to bear, the goal being the return and exoneration of Thaksin.
The boss is impatient. He was never a patient man. This everyone knows. And when the boss makes demands, the employees must put in the effort. In other words, they must put on a show for the boss.
But it's not likely to work right away, because everybody also knows that at this point in time the old establishment is still very much relevant and wields significant influence from behind the scenes _ however undemocratic this surely is, as Ms Yingluck might say in Mongolia.
As well, Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep aren't likely to be intimidated. The Democrats still have a wide base of popular support, even if it's not a majority.
If the measurement is 15 million Pheu Thai votes versus 11 million Democrat votes in the last general election, then the Democrats won't be pressured so easily.
Furthermore, as long as the army chief is Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, Thaksin will not be able to return.
But he'll retire next year and whoever is appointed next _ well, it depends on how well the Shinawatra political machine plays the game.
So this is a show for the boss, and eventually the top advisers will calm him down and we can go back to newspaper headlines that are not about Thaksin _ for a while, until the next time the boss gets overly impatient.
That's the political game being played, and if any good can come out of it, let it be prime minister Yingluck continuing to speak her heart and mind. But let her do so directly to the Thai people.
The national leader should address her people honestly. If the international audience in attendance at the conference in Mongolia was able the hear truth and honesty from our prime minister, then we the Thai people also deserve at least that much.
Contact Voranai Vanijaka via email at voranaiv@bangkokpost.co.th