The junta shocked the nation this past week when its puppets in the national assembly shot down all seven election commissioner candidates who were supposedly handpicked by the regime.
The reason cited for the overwhelming rejection of these seven candidates was that they were "inexperienced", but the grapevine whispered that coup-making body -- the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) -- had ordered the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to reject the candidates.
Whatever the NCPO's reason, one must admit that most Thais feared this would lead to a further delay in the election, which has reportedly already been pushed back from November to February -- although the coup-maker, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, has not yet admitted that this will be the case.
Umesh Pandey is Editor, Bangkok Post.
The NCPO has been trying to delay the handover of power to democracy as there is every indication that the political party they toppled on May 22, 2014, remains popular and would be favoured to win if elections were to be held.
Politicians, ordinary people and even some circles in the army are already talking about how the political situation is heating up again and there is every likelihood that it soon will hit the boiling point.
This is evident from the fact that various rallies are popping up and the once-dormant student protest movement is starting to raise its voice. If history has any lesson to teach, it is that any movement which gains momentum among students in Thailand has only ended in bloodshed.
The student-led rallies are rising in popularity despite the NCPO's best efforts to silence them.
The NCPO's iron-fist rule in Thailand is already the longest-running coup-installed government in recent history. Grudges and grievances are starting to appear despite the threat by the NCPO to use the law against those who partake in anti-government moves.
The Dear Leader has already come out many times to warn the students who have been participating in the rallies, and has even gone as far as to say that they should be sympathetic to the feelings of their parents, insinuating that their involvement may lead to consequences which prevent them from completing their education.
The rising dissent in the society has also been highlighted by yet another coup maker, Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who had ousted the government of Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. The coup by Gen Sonthi was the first putsch in 15 years and helped rip apart the so-called 'People's Constitution' that was drafted after the 1992 anti-coup protest that had led to the deaths of scores of people.
Gen Sonthi said he would be in power for about a year, and true to his words, a new constitution was drafted and general elections were called within 15 months. Many continued to view the coup as a waste of time because the Thaksin Shinawatra influence remained strong. The Thaksin-backed People's Power Party won the election in January 2008 and formed the next democratically elected government.
Gen Sonthi never went back to hound those that won the election, nor did he play games to delay the polls. Instead he accepted the realities and moved on, unlike Gen Prayut who seems to be dragging his feet on what could eventually be a major loss for him.
The delaying tactics of Gen Prayut are not only agitating the students, politicians and a large number of the country's population, but talks of possible rifts in the military are resurfacing once again.
The rumours are so severe that the incumbent army chief, Chalermchai Sitthisad, has come out to deny any such rift. The fact that the all-powerful army chief had to come out to deny any uncertainties in the ranks and file of the army that has always lead the coups in this country speaks volumes about its likely veracity.
Talk of a possible counter-coup against the Prayut government has come and gone many times, and is now starting up again.
As the NCPO nears the fourth anniversary -- 86 days from today -- of the coup through which it ousted the government of Yingluck Shinawatra, it would be better advised to rethink its stalling tactics.
The momentum has already started to build against this government and any smart politician or military strategist would know it is futile to go against the trend. It is therefore advisable Gen Prayut and his band of democracy-robbers wake up before the situation deteriorates to a point of no return.