With the formal resignation from the cabinet of Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and three ministers working for him, Thai politics looks set to experience yet another bout of turbulence as factions in the core coalition Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), scramble for the most attractive cabinet portfolios.
The power games recently heated up after former finance minister Uttama Savanayana quit his top position in the PPRP, together with three other key figures -- Sonthirat Sonthijirawong, Suvit Maesincee and Kobsak Pootrakul. This came after the move by a powerful faction known as Sam Mitr, which installed Gen Prawit Wongsuwon as the new PPRP leader. Leading the faction is none other than Suriya Jungrungreangkit, industry minister, and his cohorts.
In fact, such turbulence had been anticipated since day one when the Prayut government was formed last year, as it was known that the powerful politicians in the Sam Mitr faction were disappointed as they felt they did not get the cabinet positions they deserved. Gen Prayut, the former army chief, had no political base of his own and had to depend on these politicians in his endeavour to get the country's top job.
Then the country saw the army chief turn politician show his decisiveness, refusing the demands of the bellicose faction for a full year.
So this is political déjà vu for the embattled prime minister as the Sam Mitr faction is stirring up matters again.
There are reports that they are prepared to push for a House dissolution if their demands are ignored, which would result in a snap election. It's an open secret that these politicians have their eyes fixed on the ministries running economic affairs and which effectively control the national budget.
One desirable portfolio is the Energy Ministry, where politicians fight tooth and nail to become minister. The position would give them a chance to push multi-billion-baht projects.
It has been reported that Gen Prayut wishes to fill the vacant positions with those who possess solid experience. His choices of candidates for the economic team, though not perfect or ideal, could help secure local and foreign investors' confidence for his government amid these tough times. But the politicians have decided to stand in his way.
All eyes are on Gen Prawit, Gen Prayut's brother in arms, over whether he will use his prowess to make all the factions reach a political compromise as public anxiety intensifies.
The politicians' actions are a case of really bad timing since the country is still battling the coronavirus pandemic, with a possible second wave coming, and its effects on the economy which has contracted severely following lockdown measures. Their actions this time demonstrate that they, as always, place their interests before the nation's.
This week, the prime minister will have do some hard bargaining, with all the factions demanding the maximum. It's a shame that these politicians seem to have care little, if at all, for the country.
It's a very costly political lesson for Gen Prayut and he must know he's the one who got himself into this predicament.
Should Gen Prayut survive politically this time, he needs to put much more effort into the political reform process which in the long run would get Thai politics out of its vicious cycle.