Pita Limjaroenrat, advisory chairman to the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), on Thursday, on his first day back in parliament, vowed to closely monitor the government's implementation of its three core projects, namely the 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme, Land Bridge megaproject and the Soft Power project.
Mr Pita said there are many points in these projects that he sought to discuss in more detail and broadly with fellow opposition parties.
With the digital wallet scheme, for instance, he said he agreed that the country's economy had slowed to a snail's pace. While the Pheu Thai Party-led coalition was trying to convince society its digital wallet scheme provides an effective economic stimulus measure, the policy has instead sparked fear it could destabilise the country's finances in the long run, he said.
Mr Pita said he has considered suggesting the government prepare a "Plan B" if the digital wallet policy campaigned by Pheu Thai during the election is shot down in parliament.
Mr Pita on Thursday returned to work as an MP following a six-month suspension that was pending a Constitutional Court ruling on his iTV share-holding case. The court ruled on Wednesday the iTV shares he held did not make him ineligible to run for a House seat.
Mr Pita has reproached the lost opportunity to vie for the premiership in the second round of voting in parliament. He did not receive enough votes from the Senate to secure the premiership in the first round.
The Constitutional Court's decision to deliberate the iTV case against him effectively led to his suspension from seeking the premiership in the second round.
Mr Pita, however, has said he would not counter-sue political activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, who had brought the media company shareholding case against him. "Let bygones be bygones," he said.
Mr Pita's return delighted his fellow MFP MPs, who welcomed him back to work and embraced him upon his arrival at the parliament complex on Thursday.
As for a no-confidence debate that the MFP might contemplate launching against the government, Mr Pita declined to say what issues the party might grill the cabinet over.
Mr Pita said he would gather input on the government's alleged misconduct, corruption and failures in state budget spending.
During his suspension as an MP, Mr Pita said he had worked behind the scenes with MPs in Samut Prakan and Phuket, where he found waste management to be a critical problem that needed to be urgently addressed.
He intends to raise this matter at Friday's House special sitting, he said.
Mr Pita insisted he had no intention of reclaiming the MFP leader seat currently occupied by Chaithawat Tulathon.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said he had no worries about Mr Pita resuming his job as an MP, who has vowed to step up his game in reining in the government.
"We are glad that an MP has returned to the fold. And that's it," said Mr Phumtham.