Indeed Thaksin must have been thanking his lucky stars profusely for the much-needed respite, which gave him another excuse to stay on and to send a strong message to Cabinet members, who had been mulling over a plan to jump ship, that he was still firmly in control.

Signs of possible defections among his cronies in Cabinet were clear. Some of them confided to friends about how uneasy the situation made them - the sinking popularity of the Thai Rak Thai Party plagued by scandals, and the necessity to save themselves from political fallout if Thaksin did decide to call it quits.

They wanted to leave together for maximum impact. With the news about the upcoming election, any plans they may have had to defect could be abandoned. There is no time to join another party if they choose to leave Thai Rak Thai and risk facing Thaksin's wrath. Reprisal could be swift because all of them have their own stigmas and soft spots.

Therefore, it appears to be a reasonable means of self-preservation if they have to go along and wait for the right time, if it ever comes, for anyone who might be a "Brutus-in-waiting".

The decree was a shot in the arm for Thaksin, who tersely suggested to the judicial branch, with an unmistakable air of arrogance and restored confidence, that two more members of the Election Commission be appointed to fill the vacancies.

 He got the rope he has wanted, so to speak, and whether it turns out to be a noose not long from now remains to be seen. On Tuesday, the three remaining members of the Election Commission are expected to hear a Criminal Court verdict on a charge relating to abuse of power. The judgement will provide a clear signal as to which way politics in this country will go.

The decree was in some respects a response to Thaksin's frequent charges that he had been hamstrung by certain elements with clout beyond the Constitution resulting in unending political troubles. Based on this claim, he sent letters to various national leaders, most significantly US President George W Bush, to complain about the difficulties he faces in running his regime.

 There are other points for consideration. The decree will not come into force until August 24, enough time from now for anything to happen. In addition to the court verdict on Tuesday, there is another important case pending in the Constitution Court, which will decide the fate of five parties - including the Thai Rak Thai and Democrat parties - for serious breaches of the election law.

Many people might have been confused by the sudden turn of events following long speculation that there would not be a general election. Why should there be one, when Thaksin and his crowd will be put back in government with nothing changed?

Now that a general election seems certain, Thaksin did not waste time with glowing talk about the virtues of electoral democracy during his radio chat yesterday morning. He did not say that the EC does not have the faith and confidence of the public while there is no promise of clean and fair elections.

He rambled about the need for national reconciliation while retaining all the advantages over other contenders, such as the control over government legal and bureaucratic machinery, budgets for pork-barrel political spending and the media for spin time, among other things.

The decree gives Thaksin another chance to fight, and prove to his adversaries and critics that support from grass-roots voters is still strong, making him a worthy national leader. He even suggested that Poll Watch or international observers monitor the polls to ensure that everything is clean and fair.

Poll Watch is no guarantee for fair results if big money counts in politics in addition to other kinds of influence exerted through sinister means. The general election will not prevent Thaksin from retaking the government either by hook or by crook.

What could be more promising are the pending court rulings. They can influence real changes and chart a new course for the country's future, deviating from the current path to what appears a calamitous end at the hands of crooked politicians and their partners in crime.

 Sopon Ongkara