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At stake are the ruins of Preah Vihear on top of a huge mountain, and sovereignty concerns over surrounding areas. Thai and Cambodian troops, armed to the teeth, are being hard pressed by the intensity of the border conflict.

A nationalistic outrage is being expressed by people who feel betrayed by the Samak Cabinet, as well as the politicians and House members under the People Power Party who have been either sheepish or indifferent in their reaction to the measures.

How can they sport a brave face or appear self-righteous? Deep in their hearts and troubled consciences - provided the latter exist - they simply cannot swallow the fact that their patrons have committed a treacherous act and they are accomplices.

What is Samak doing in response to the potential conflict with Cambodia? True to form, he is trying his best to steer clear from taking responsibility, though he did chair the Cabinet meeting which green-lighted Cambodia's bid to have its way in setting the future course for the historical site.

Will Samak and his Cabinet members get away with the decision, which was later ruled invalid by the Constitution Court, through aloofness and verbal gymnastics? That would have been possible in the old days of cronyism and gutter politics with a public not too interested in demanding punishment for misdeeds by politicians.

But now, public-interest groups and activist organisations will push for justice. Now that the judicial process and the justice system are credible and trusted by the public, there is common sentiment that efforts to pursue criminal prosecution and conviction can produce desirable results.

That's why Samak appears worried about the libel suit that was filed against him. If the Appeals Court upholds the judgement of the Criminal Court, he could spend up to two years in prison.

There are other potential criminal cases waiting for him. If prosecuted, Samak would have to face the risk of extended jail time. His fate would also dictate the term of his beleaguered administration, which is now almost counting the days that it can continue to survive adversity.

His main hope of salvaging what is left of the scandal-ridden Cabinet is to conduct a major reshuffle, with key positions marked for individuals whose track records are fairly acceptable to the public. Such people are hard to come by at the persuasion of Samak. They would know of the low credibility and image problems of the Samak administration, and how the government's days are numbered and they would not want to harm their good reputations by association.

Samak's case may have some impact. But the fate of his patron, Thaksin Shinawatra, who stands to face a court verdict later this month, will be crucial to the direction of the country. It is widely believed that the billionaire's chances of winning the case against him are slim.

There are at least 13 criminal cases, both being prosecuted and pending, that Thaksin must face. He has been struggling hard for months using all means and resources available to him to try to slither out of the arms of justice.

There has been talk about his attempts to seek reprieves and forgiveness from people in high places. So far he has been disappointed: all offers and propositions have been turned down.

Thaksin has a lot of money; we all know that. What we don't know is how much. What is hard to guess is whether Thaksin has the nerve to face the judges who will dispense justice in the coming days. His main worries are his freedom and the massive assets of some Bt60 billion frozen by the now-dissolved Assets Examinations Committee.

What is undoubtedly more worrying to him is the court's ban on his foreign travel. That alone serves as a warning and a bad omen. He faces the risk of jail term or the possible return of the money. In the end, his instinct for survival will dictate what he decides to do.

It seems far-fetched to think that somebody of such a high stature will eventually end up in captivity for crime. This is Thai politics, after all, and there used to be a firm belief that prison is for the small people without money and good connections.

Maybe we are due for a decent change after long decades of gutter politics and delayed justice. The talk about a new era for the justice system would then become a reality.