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The resignation of Noppadon Pattama from his post at the Foreign Affairs Ministry has set a precedent that could affect the entire government apparatus, including Parliament, which used to enjoy some degree of freedom, especially in its dealings with foreign powers.

Moreover, members of other agencies, including all branches of Thailand's armed forces, were said to be going through their documents, memorandums of understanding, contracts and agreements, to make sure that a document will not come back and haunt them the way it did Noppadon.

According to the Constitution Court, the former minister acted unconstitutionally when he endorsed Cambodia's application to have Preah Vihear Temple registered as a Unesco World Heritage site without first consulting Parliament on the matter.

Many Thai scholars argue that his endorsement and that of the Cabinet undermined Thailand's claim to the disputed land around the temple, which is situated on the Thai-Cambodian border.

Critics were quick to link the endorsement to all kinds of conspiracy theories, including suggesting that it was tied to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's potential investments in Cambodia.

Conspiracy theories aside, what is clear is that Noppadon bit off more than he could chew. He was hoping that by closing the chapter on Preah Vihear, Thai-Cambodian relations in the long run could develop and expand into other areas, be they political, social or economic.

The reason his gamble did not pay off has much to do with the manner in which the sensitive issue was handled. The fact that he overlooked the role of Parliament suggests that Noppadon, and the government for that matter, had little regard for the spirit of the Constitution, which in Article 190 details the role of parliamentarians in determining the course of the country's foreign affairs.

The Constitution Court's ruling against Noppadon was a wake-up call for all - the officials at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, whose elitist attitude and culture of isolation were part of the reason behind Noppadon's downfall, and the parliamentarians who will likely think twice before raising their hands to vote in the future.

As difficult as it may be, the executive branch will have to hand some of its power to the parliamentarians. The thought of some hick MPs debating technical issues related to international relations may give some Foreign Ministry officials the creeps. Surely, some of them must have heard Plato's maxim: "The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."

In retrospect, Noppadon came into the post with his talk of putting a "good neighbour" policy into action and so on. He saw the rise of Indochina and believed that the spirit of cooperation was the best way to go about it. But nobody told the young man not to be in such a hurry because his imprudence might come back to haunt him.

The People's Alliance for Democracy and the opposition saw an opening and went for the kill. They did it with no mercy whatsoever. Some of them talked nonsense without relying on facts and historical data on the controversial temple.

We are living in interesting times, indeed. All of a sudden, Thailand's best and brightest at the Foreign Ministry are not good enough to handle the new and multifaceted challenges facing them. They watched Noppadon take Thailand into unfamiliar territory, make a fool of himself and turn the country into an international laughing stock.

Like Noppadon, they will have to get out of their traditional comfort zone and learn a thing or two about national politics and local sentiment. Along the way, it is hoped that they will come to the realisation that they are no better than any one of us.