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At all these events, Somchai wore a thin smile and tried to keep his composure. Deep inside, he must have realised how Thaksin Shinawatra felt when he was booed and jeered by opponents in public places, in addition to rally sites.

Would Somchai have turned down the proposition for him to become prime minister if he had known what lay in store for him? What's more, this is just the beginning of more painful days and, possibly, months ahead.

Somchai became the country's leader by circumstance - and it was not entirely his own choice, of course. He was selected after a House vote, and throughout the entire session he could hardly conceal his anxiety.

His good fortune was unexpected. He has become the 26th prime minister of this land by a fluke, and this more or less has made him pay the high price of not being recognised or accepted by the people. Since his appointment, it has become like torture.

One doubts whether he could have had his way if he wanted to reject the position. Was it forced upon him by his in-laws and fully endorsed by close family members, chiefly his imperious wife?

An open secret was made known when Somchai visited his hometown over the weekend. His former teacher, now 91 years old, advised him that being a wife-fearing man could ruin his future, especially if he has to take all orders and directives from her.

That news was greeted with laughter rather than sympathy. Somchai is a soft-spoken man who does not want to ruffle feathers or rub up the wrong shoulders, if he can avoid it. But taking up the premiership is a different matter. It was obviously a firm order that he could not refuse. 

Now Somchai realises that the going will be far tougher than he could have imagined. Within days, one of his daughters, also a House member and a millionaire businesswoman, became the target of investigations for her failure to fully report her financial standing.

Somchai's wife has become a major political and legal liability now that she is being investigated for questionable wealth, and together with him is facing a serious charge involving an attempt to bribe judges. Evidence, quite damning, already exists in a court testimony by a judge who served as a witness in the highly controversial case when Thaksin stood trial for concealment of assets before he became prime minister.

Somchai also faces charges linking him with a failure to report stockholding in a company having business concessions with state-owned agencies. All these factors combined will become a formidable obstacle, which could eventually see him removed from the premiership. It is all too similar to the moonlighting case of his predecessor Samak Sundaravej.

The legal challenges could soon trouble Somchai so much that he will hardly have time to concentrate on national affairs. The possible consequences include disgrace and a jail term, if proven guilty - quite a remarkable end for a former judge and top-ranking bureaucrat in the Justice Ministry.

Even though he holds this prestigious position and profile, he could yet end up as the prime minister who has served the shortest term. Even now, he cannot enter Government House, occupied as it is by protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy.

Somchai could go down in history as the prime minister with an improvised office, making his pathetic status a wonder among Thai and foreign political observers alike. The business community hardly minced its words when reacting to his unsavoury Cabinet line-up.

Let's see how he can thread ahead with charm and smooth talk amid the political heckling. Friction between rival factions in his party threatens to wreck the already flimsy relationship that is held together only by mutual benefit sharing.

On national affairs, his effort to show independence and competence may show results soon enough. But the legal troubles plaguing his family members will test his flair in court. He has no chance to reminisce over the decision to accept the grandeur of his position.

It is all his own doing, whether dictated by his wife and her brother, or otherwise. Karma does not appreciate smooth talk.