A censure debate may be the opposition's most potent weapon to shake the government or even bring it to it knees. This year's one, however, has got off to quite a rocky start.
What never emerged as a problem before has now threatened to set the session back, despite the debate schedule not even being yet settled by the two sides.
The case in point is the no-confidence motion itself. To be precise, the bone of contention boils down to the wording in the motion submitted last week to parliament president Chuan Leekpai and the fact that the document technically cannot be rectified.
Never before in recent memory has a censure notion touched off such an intense row before the actual debate.
The motion contained a phrase outlining the relationship between the higher institution and the people -- a reference to the monarchy. Several government MPs were outraged at the mention of the institution in the censure motion as critics were under the impression that the monarchy was being possibly dragged into the business of politics, which they insisted would be uncalled for.
Sira Jenjaka, a firebrand Bangkok MP from the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, has warned that the party's legal team was looking to file a lawsuit under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, against opposition MPs who signed in support of the motion on the grounds that they should have left the highest institution out of their censure move.
But what amounts to a more stern warning from Mr Sira is that he may seek to refer the issue for a ruling by the Constitutional Court, which would likely lead to a nasty implication on the censure session.
If and when the issue is put before the Constitutional Court and the court agrees to hear the case, it typically comes attached with a request for an injunction. In this case, an injunction may be sought to halt the censure debate pending the court's ruling on the matter.
Sompong Amornvivat, leader of the main opposition Pheu Thai Party, formally submitted the no-confidence motion to Mr Chuan on Jan 25 and the debate is expected to take place next week, that is if it is not delayed or derailed altogether, according to one political observer.
However, the observer noted that a delayed censure session could do more good than harm for the opposition as the timing of this year's debate may not be the most ideal.
The opposition has come across as being hasty in seizing the first available opportunity to stage its onslaught against cabinet ministers, said the observer. It has locked on 10 targets, the most prominent of whom is Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The opposition made its first futile attempt to censure cabinet members in February last year. It is legally permitted to launch a no-confidence motion against the government once a year and it may not be too far-fetched to think that the opposition had been counting down to this February so it could have another go at grilling the government.
But the political circumstances right now are nothing like what they were last year, particularly with Covid-19 putting most political activities on hold.
Last February, before the virus had become a full-blown pandemic, the censure issues focused on the performances and alleged irregularities while in office of individual ministers.
Fast forward to this year and the government is still grappling with a second wave of infections.
However, it has earned credit so far for successful suppression of the virus, which in turn, has turned the political tide in its favour, according to the observer.
Nonetheless, the vaccine programme may mark a spectacular reversal of fortune for the government, the observer warned.
If the programme spirals into a debacle, it could hand the opposition the ammunition it to deliver a knock-out blow. But the inoculation period will stretch over several months and its outcome may not be known for some time.
The observer said the opposition should have held off on the censure debate and monitored the vaccination programme, which presents a crucial trigger for restoring the economy, and gone for the government's jugular when the time was more ripe.
Not staying where not wanted
Veteran politician Witoon Nambutr is the latest high-profile figure to have quit the Democrats and the Northeast-based politician has left no room for doubt over why he decided to sever 30 years of ties with the party.
In a message sent to some of his colleagues and seen by several media outlets, Mr Witoon said felt he was underappreciated and had got the shorter end of the stick lately. So, he saw no reason to be around a party that had overlooked him.
Witoon: Not feeling loved
The resentment apparently began well before the 2019 general election -- when he was still the deputy party leader.
According to Mr Witoon, as a senior party figure, he expected to be placed high on the party-list. However, he was 40th on the list and he knew straight away that he had a near-zero chance of getting elected.
To rub salt in the wound, Democrat leader Jurin Laksanavisit and secretary-general Chalermchai Sri-on failed to honour a promise to appoint him an adviser to a cabinet minister. Both apparent snubs left him without a job in the party, according to Mr Witoon.
The veteran politician also accused Mr Jurin and Mr Chalermchai of failing to support a bid by Wutthipong Nambutr, his nephew and a Democrat MP for Ubon Ratchathani, to become chairman of the House committee on agriculture and agricultural cooperatives. The Democrats supervise the Agriculture Ministry.
With Mr Jurin and Mr Chalermchai both sitting on the fence and because a large number of party MPs come from the South, an MP from the southern region landed the job, according to Mr Witoon.
"Due to this, I believe northeastern MPs are not given due consideration by the party," he said in the message which he ended by announcing that Mr Wutthipong would join him in defecting to a new party.
The Democrat spokesman responded to Mr Witoon's claims in a manner-of-fact manner, while key party figures described Mr Witoon's exit as "regrettable".
According to political observers, the Democrats' response indicates the party does not want to stir up any hard feelings -- after all, Mr Witoon, a six-time MP under the party banner, had helped the party defend what little it had left of a foothold in the Northeast following the arrival of populist policies championed by the now-dissolved Thai Rak Thai.
Mr Witoon made his political debut as a Democrat constituency MP in 1992 before switching to the party-list system in 2007 to make way for his nephew.
In the 2011 general election, he was 20th on the party list and won a seat.
He served very briefly as social development and human security minister in the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration before he was forced to step down over the rotten canned fish scandal.
The now ex-Democrat won praise for the party when he resigned as minister, after just three months in office, to uphold the integrity of the party and take responsibility before a probe into the canned fish controversy was completed.
Following Mr Witoon's departure from the Democats, it is thought he might move to the ruling Palang Pracharat Party (PPRP). However, reports have emerged that it is the Bhumjaithai Party that is preparing to roll out the red carpet to welcome him and his nephew.
A Bhumjaithai source has confirmed there is mutual interest. Mr Witoon is known to have close ties with Chada Thaiseth, the Bhumjaithai MP for Uthai Thani. He is also said to like the fact that Bhumjaithai manages its political bases better than the PPRP.
Mr Witoon also believes the PPRP is unlikely to maintain its popularity and establish itself as a strong political force, so he is likely to see Bhumjaithai as a good fit, the source added.
According to political observers, while the Democrats might find it hard to secure a replacement, his exit is unlikely to make things worse for the party after its collapse in the last election.
It captured only two House seats in the Northeast, down from four in the 2011 poll.
Besides Mr Wutthipong, the Democrats' other seat in the Northeast is held by Boonthida Somchai, daughter of another Democrat Party heavyweight and list-MP Issarachai Somchai.