Critics and the opposition have had a field day firing broadsides at the government over its alleged mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic which has resulted in scores of deaths and thousands of new infections a day.
They've demanded to know why the government underestimated the extent of the third outbreak that began in early April and castigated it for failing to impose a lockdown during the Songkran festival in the middle of that month to contain it.
The opposition Move Forward Party reportedly considered launching a no-confidence motion against the government during this week's budget bill debate.
However, those close to the matter said there was no denying the budget debate was unforgiving on the government and was, in all practicality, a censure session in itself, albeit one without a closing vote.
Some political analysts said the opposition had been handed the opportunity it was looking for to weaken the government politically by pointing to what it considered to be flaws in the formulation and execution of Covid-19 containment measures it claims are in disarray.
At the same time, scaremongering and fake news circulating online may have shaken public trust in the vaccines being offered for free in the nationwide inoculation campaign.
Chaiwut: Files libel suit over remarks
However, there has been a warning that opposition parties should disassociate themselves from anything that could lead to the misconception that they were connected to the creation or dissemination of these reports.
A keyboard war is being waged in cyberspace between opponents and supporters of the government over the unfolding Covid-19 situation and what could have been done to affect the course of the pandemic.
One observer said much of the information that was shared online -- from details of state projects to build field hospitals, to the choice and procurement of vaccines -- were either half-truths at best or downright fabrications.
A popular accusation against the government is that it had vested interests -- in "betting on only two horses", a reference to China's Sinovac and the AstraZeneca vaccines -- early in the vaccine procurement stage.
The government said these were the only realistic choices in the initial phase although it insisted later that it was open to privately sought imports of other brands.
It was understood that the law bars the government from putting down a deposit on any state purchase which may or may not be delivered. In other words, if a deposit was made on a vaccine during its experimental stage and the manufacturer later failed to supply it, the government would be breaking the law for abusing state funds.
In the case of Sinovac, the supplies were either donated or bought from available stock. With AstraZeneca, an agreement was struck where the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Siam Bioscience, the first domestic producer of biopharmaceutical drugs, as a manufacturing facility for its Covid-19 vaccine.
The US's Moderna vaccine has since been registered with the FDA, a step preluding the sale of its vaccine by the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation to private hospitals which will re-sell it to the general public in a package that includes insurance against side effects.
Recently, a political storm erupted surrounding Sinopharm, another Chinese-made vaccine to be imported.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) is looking to prosecute architect Duangrit Bunnag and Accap Assets Co, a real estate company, on charges of fabricating documents about the vaccine and spreading fake news about it.
Accap Assets Co claimed in one document circulated online that it was capable of supplying 20 million doses of the vaccine but had been prevented from approaching Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and other government figures.
DES Minister Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn accused Mr Duangrit of continuing to spread false information about the issue during an audio conference on the Clubhouse mobile app.
Mr Duangrit, who belongs to the Care political group comprising several politicians linked to the main opposition Pheu Thai Party, had claimed someone asked for 5 million baht as "tea money" in exchange for securing an appointment to discuss a Sinopharm supply deal with the prime minister, according to Mr Chaiwut.
Also, Prasertpong Sornnuvatara, a list MP for the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), may find himself in trouble with the law for a tweet saying that he was asked before receiving a Covid-19 shot what party he was affiliated to. When he replied, the MP said he was given Sinovac while government MPs had AstraZeneca jabs.
His claim was refuted by coalition Bhumjaithai Party spokesman, Paradorn Prisnanantakul, who took him to task for lying and being bent on creating divisions. Mr Paradorn insisted there was no "vaccine sectarianism" and that he had also received Sinovac.
Coalition rifts laid bare
This week's budget bill debate showing by key Bhumjaithai MPs laid bare the bitter relationship between it and the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), according to political observers.
On the first day of budget scrutiny, Uthai Thani MP Chada Thaiseth voiced displeasure over budget cuts suffered by the Public Health Ministry which it supervises.
In the face of the ongoing public health crisis, Mr Chada said the spending plan was an insult to the public as he slammed the Budget Bureau for slashing over four billion baht from its coffers and being slow to disburse allowances for frontline health volunteers.
According to the Bhumjaithai MP, the Department of Disease Control's (DDC) budget was cut to 3.5 billion baht for the upcoming 2022 fiscal year, compared to four billion baht it was allocated for the current fiscal year ending in September.
The department's request for an allocation of 12 billion baht to procure 70 million vaccine doses was also denied on the basis that Covid-19 vaccines would be purchased using the central fund.
Mr Chada, a senior-ranking MP from the Bhumjaithai, the second-largest coalition party, pointed out that without proper financial support and resources health officials would be fighting a losing battle against Covid 19.
Chada: Unhappy at shrinking budget
"Did the Budget Bureau come under the impression that [Public Health Minister] Mr Anutin [Charnvirakul] has fallen out of Gen Prayut's favour? If so, I'd like to ask our party leader to 'come home'," Mr Chada said, suggesting that the party pull out of the coalition bloc.
According to political observers, tension between the PPRP and Bhumjaithai over the vaccine rollout plan started to brew in early April when the third wave hit and the government decided to ramp up the vaccination drive.
Gen Prayut set up a working group to source 35 million more doses of vaccine, in addition to the 65 million already being procured for the national inoculation programme. The plan was to vaccinate 70% of the population to create herd immunity.
The absence of Mr Anutin from that panel, headed by former public health minister Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, was said to have upset Bhumjaithai members who felt the party leader was being sidelined.
At one point in the budget debate, Bhumjaithai list-MP Korrawee Prisnanantakul also criticised the public health budget planning as "bizarre" and even warned that it could be the government's and the House's last budget planning session.
"If it is going to be the last shot [at debating the budget bill], I want it to solve the problems and bring Thai people back to normal," he was quoted as saying.
According to a source in the PPRP, several Bhumjaithai MPs made no effort to hide their discontent toward Gen Prayut and intend to stick to their guns whenever there is a chance.
The Bhumjaithai MPs were heard talking about preparing for elections even though the House of Representatives still has two more years to go before its current term comes to an end.
Almost two weeks before the budget debate, Bhumjaithai spokesman Paradorn Prisnanantakul also publicly spoke out about the flaws in the Mor Prom (Doctor's Ready) platform after Gen Prayut scrapped the walk-in vaccination plan.
Even though Mr Paradorn did not name names, it was understood that his broadside was aimed at the prime minister for placing complete faith in the app.
The idea of walk-in vaccinations was said to stem from Mr Anutin and while it had its merit, the initiative caused confusion and Gen Prayut finally used the term on-site registration to avoid misleading people into believing they could get their jab there and then.
According to the PPRP source, the ruling party sees the public display of displeasure and frustration by Bhumjaithai MPs as nothing political manoeuvring.
"Gen Prayut knows better than anyone he can't dance to the coalition parties' tune. If he does, the very first person to get into trouble is himself," said the PPRP source.
Some political observers agreed that the Bhumjaithai, despite trying to get the prime minister in an armlock with a threat of coalition pullout, was unlikely to be the first coalition party to walk away.
