No matter when the next poll is held, the battle lines are already being drawn.
On one side will be attempts to romanticise the past. An ongoing craze about the Thai drama series Buppesunniwas, or Love Destiny, about a modern-day woman who was miraculously sent back to the time of King Narai of Ayutthaya is reflective of this ideology.
Apart from people who are fans of the male and female leads, or those who relish historical details interwoven into the drama's romantic plot, many members of the audience feel the soap opera has evoked a sense of nostalgia for traditional Thai lifestyles.
Atiya Achakulwisut is a columnist, Bangkok Post.
For this group of people, the past is always more beautiful. It is more orderly. It's also more easily understood because its strict hierarchy meant people knew exactly how to behave. Conformism may strip people of certain rights but it is key to keeping society together, these people believe.
On the other side will be people who have faith in progressive forces. The past -- customs and traditions that have come along with it -- may appear neat but won't help us go forward into the future. Critical thinking may cause disruptions but without changes, nothing new can be born.
To be competitive in the world market, Thais can't put on traditional costumes and dance around to entice people to invest in the country. Cultural intricacies alone won't push us up on the international stage.
The tug-of-war between conservative and progressive forces has existed in the society for centuries but a plan by the so-called "young blood" auto-parts executive Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit to set up a political party possibly to contest in the next election has brought it into sharp focus.
Although Mr Thanathorn, 39, and left-leaning law lecturer Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, 38, have only expressed an interest in setting up a party, their anti-coup stance and progressive agenda have roused the sleepy political scene like never before.
Whether or not the duo will put their plan into action, their opinions about the current political landscape and respective stances already serve as a valid counterweight to the military regime's predominant ultra conservatism.
Mr Thanathorn, dubbed the billion-dollar serf for being a political activist despite coming from a wealthy background, has talked about his wish to see society return to the rule of law, where everybody is treated equally.
The military regime's "luxury watches" scandal must have sprung to the minds of people who heard this.
While emphasising that he has not yet entered politics, Mr Thanathorn says he believes Thai society has an urgent need to establish a new trust in the "system". At present, no one trusts anything, not the police nor the judicial process.
In an interview with GM magazine, he said that some values that have been passed on from one generation to another might not serve the country well as it eyes the future.
He said instead of encouraging creativity and critical thinking, Thai society groomed its youth to be trapped in traditional mindsets. These include hairstyles, school uniforms, military conscription and an emphasis on the need to follow the thinking of more senior people.
His views contrast with what the military regime has tried to push, an evocation of the "good old days" and a vision of a "peaceful" society in exchange for certain rights and liberties.
While Mr Thanathorn focused on trying to reestablish trust in the system, the regime often resorts to asking people to put their trust in Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and let him run the country the way he sees fit.
While it's not yet clear when the election will be held or whether Mr Thanathorn and his "young blood" party will materialise, the clash of ideologies will not be settled at the next poll.
No matter which side wins, the strife will remain a source of tension at the core of society, driving it to a point of convulsion and possibly violence time and again.
Warning signs have emerged already. Even though the two "young blood" members have not done anything officially, they received some hateful reactions. The first is to be accused of being anti-monarchy. The second is to be branded as greedy Chinese who are ungrateful for the Thai kingdom's generosity.
Battle lines are being drawn and it's fine to let people choose. A hateful battle cry, however, is unnecessary. It is only heralding a return to the bad old days.