A bigger danger is lurking

The latest cabinet reshuffle has failed to win over sceptics who fear the government is living on borrowed time.

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The charter court's suspension of Paetongtarn Shinawatra as premier pending deliberation of the leaked phone conversation she had with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen is a ticking time bomb that threatens to cut short this administration’s term.

However, some observers say if Ms Paetongtarn is eventually booted out as premier by the Constitutional Court, the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which she leads, could nominate its last remaining prime ministerial candidate, Chaikasem Nitisiri, to replace her.

His nomination is likely to receive the backing of the existing coalition, provided he softens or rescinds his stance on amending Section 112 of the Criminal Code, aka the lese majeste law.

Some think if and when Mr Chaikasem’s candidacy is given the stamp of approval by parliament, the current government could be blessed with a new lease on life, and it will be business as usual.

However, the observers said an even bigger time bomb has gone almost unnoticed, one that could wipe out half the parliamentarians and throw the legislative and executive branches into disarray.

The battlefield has shifted to the courtroom, and the centre of attention is Section 144 of the 2017 Constitution — the most stringent fiscal oversight clause in Thai political history.

Section 144, viewed as a legal trap for many in the current parliament, imposes strict limits on budget allocations. It states that: "members of parliament, budget committees, or the cabinet are prohibited from altering the national budget, except to reduce or cut. They must not alter expenditures related to debt repayments, loan interest and statutory obligations".