The opposition Move Forward party had hoped for a miracle -- that the so-called Group of 16 MPs from small parties would vote to censure Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his 10 ministers along with the opposition.
Several party members were cheered on when they met a large group of people holding a parallel censure debate outside parliament during a break on the last day of the debate on Friday night. Despite that, their support could not effect any change in parliament.
As expected, the prime minister and all 10 ministers grilled by opposition MPs for four consecutive days survived the censure debate, although their responses to some questions raised by the MPs were vague and not always relevant.
The ensuing voting exercise was then mere theatre and didn't reflect the opposition's performance during the debate. No matter how hard the opposition tried or how strong their evidence, the government's numbers dictated the vote's outcome.
They needed a miracle but there was none. And anyway, the one thing that could have changed the collective mind of the Group of 16 wasn't a miracle; it was money, or "bananas" as known in this context.
It is an open fact that the group, led by Pichet Sathirachawal, a dissident MP of the core government party, Palang Pracharath, has no fixed loyalty. The members are like mercenaries whose loyalty depends on which paymasters are offering them the most remuneration.
For the past three-plus years in parliament, the group has barely done anything that could be called an achievement in their putative role as lawmakers. The only time they have a voice and are of value is when their votes can be the deciding factor, say for the passage of a financial bill or after a censure debate like the one on Saturday. For a government with only a slim majority in the Lower House, their votes are a godsend.
Throughout the four-day debate last week, the group was busy scheming, plotting and bargaining. All the while, other MPs both from the government and opposition camps were concentrating on the censure debate. Rumours made the rounds in parliament of their shifting stances and on how they would vote.
A Line chat was leaked on social media regarding 100,000-baht payments purportedly given to MPs after the group met Deputy Prime Minister and power-broker Gen Prawit Wongsuwan on Friday night -- one day ahead of the vote on Saturday.
Seething with rage, Capt Thamanat Prompow felt he had been double-crossed by the Group of 16 and in particular its leader Mr Pichet, because the group had promised him they would vote against all ministers except Gen Prawit. He also hinted he had been supporting several of them financially.
Capt Thamanat has big ambitions. But he still has many lessons to learn about Thai politics and politicians. One is that there is no shortcut to becoming a big brother surrounded with yes-men -- unless he has tonnes of money and is ready to spend to buy their favour if not loyalty. For the time being, he may have to lick his wounds.
Members of the group are smart survivors, though not the fittest. Many may have realised this could be the last time they are in parliament because their chance of staging a comeback at the next poll looks slight given the likely drop in party-list MPs from 150 to 100.
Also, it remains uncertain how the allocation of party-list seats among parties contesting the election will be calculated; that is, whether they will be divided by 100 or 500 from the votes that each party has received.
So it comes as no surprise if these MPs usually see themselves as a saleable product. But this time, however, their behaviour was too obvious and it may land them in hot water -- and some of the leaked documents purportedly showing them in receipt of 100,000 baht a head from unknown sources will surely turn up the heat to boiling point.
According to the anti-corruption law, an MP is barred from receiving cash or valuables exceeding 3,000 baht from anyone who is not a relative. If he/she has received cash or valuables worth more than 3,000 baht, he/she must report it to the House Speaker within 30 days. The House Speaker will then judge whether the gift is appropriate or not. If not, the Speaker will order the gift be returned to the owner.
Failing to report to the House Speaker in 30 days leaves an MP liable to three years in prison and/or a fine of 60,000 baht. As always, political activist Srisuwan Janya won't miss this opportunity to put himself in the media spotlight. So, the Group of 16 had better be prepared.
Veera Prateepchaikul is former editor of the Bangkok Post.
