As the country faces severe economic difficulties, it requires a stable government and a leader with strong competency and well-roundedness -- qualifications that Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra needs to acquire more of.
Months into office, Ms Paetongtarn, the youngest daughter of Thaksin, is showing that the criticism of her as a puppet leader rings true. Some describe her as an "intern prime minister". And it's her father who holds the real power.
However, Thaksin is now crippled with the "14th floor" saga -- allegations that he unjustifiably prolonged his hospital stay to evade spending time in jail. The case is with the Supreme Court, which will start its inquiry on June 13. A probe by the Medical Council of Thailand, which found that Thaksin was not in critical condition as claimed, is a disadvantage for him.
In fact, the trouble for Thaksin involving the controversy over his "privileged" stay on the 14th floor of the hospital is seen as merely a slap on the wrist by the old guard, as they want to ensure the alleged de facto leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party stays in line.
Previously, Thaksin confidently mentioned a plan for his younger sister Yingluck, a fugitive former premier who fled overseas to avoid a five-year jail sentence, to return home before the most recent Songkran, without having to spend time behind bars. But eventually Thaksin had to abandon the idea, given the unfavourable political atmosphere. Yingluck's homecoming seems even more challenging now that the Administrative Court has ordered her to pay more than 10 billion baht in compensation for the losses resulting from her administration's failed rice-pledging scheme.
Apart from the Thaksin factor, the Paetongtarn government palpably lacks unity. There are numerous power games playing out among the major coalition parties -- something attested to by the ongoing crisis involving the Senate -- with battle lines being drawn by the "red" (Pheu Thai) and "blue" (Bhumjaithai) factions.
Standing as rivals with the same political bases, Pheu Thai and Bhumjaithai (BJT) were always going to struggle to be close allies. Their coalition was based on necessity as Pheu Thai dumped the Move Forward Party -- the real winner of the 2019 elections -- led by Pita Limjaroenrat.
In recent months, the public has witnessed growing rifts within the coalition, with one notable example being the BJT backtracking from Pheu Thai's casino plan wrapped up in an entertainment complex package, not to mention the fierce competition between their candidates in local polls, among other issues.
In light of the Senate's power to endorse members of key independent agencies like the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Election Commission, and charter court, Pheu Thai is well aware that should BJT manage to control such key independent agencies, it would be too much of a force to reckon with in the next election.
As such, the Upper Chamber is seen as being under the blue party's influence. This makes it comparable to its predecessor, which, given that it had the provisional power to name a prime minister, fell under the power of the junta government that was responsible for appointing senators.
It could be said that the power games involving the two coalition parties are growing tenser by the day. Some believe it is Pheu Thai that's behind the move to probe the Senate's affiliations with the BJT. Some senators, including those in senior positions, have been summoned for an inquiry by the EC, which has prompted calls for the Upper Chamber to delay appointing members of independent agencies. Yet, the Senate has done the opposite.
In addition to Ms Paetongtarn's relative inexperience, her government is being plagued with examples of lawfare. Activists have petitioned the NACC to probe the government, along with some MPs and senators, for reallocating 35 billion baht of the budget that had been reserved for repaying financial institutions over to the ruling party's cash handout project. Critics claim this is in breach of Section 144 of the charter.
Regardless of who is right or wrong, the excessive use of lawfare is extremely unhealthy for Thai politics. The lawfare derived from the junta-sponsored constitution has led to endless problems, representing a setback for democracy.
It's unfortunate that attempts to amend the charter and address the unwelcome advent or growth of lawfare have been stalled as they are shot down by the Senate. A lack of sincerity on the part of Pheu Thai is making such a change an impossible task. It is no exaggeration to say the Paetongtarn government is a lame duck, as it is incapable of tackling numerous crises that require immediate action.
We must place our hope in civil society organisations, people's movements and new media. They should engage more in scrutinising the government and pressing for a cleaner political system.
Chairith Yonpiam is assistant news editor, Bangkok Post.