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Political rifts are not unusual, but rival camps have gone overboard in bringing about the ruin of others.

Opposing parties have allowed animosity to cloud their judgement. They have abandoned political propriety in order to carry on their fight regardless of the blood being spilled and the destruction caused.

Unless the government and the opposition movement led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) can hold a parley, political volatility will persist and deepen.

The prognosis for putting politics back on course is not good so long as the rival camps are not committed to forging reconciliation. The government and the PAD both appear to be trying to outwit the other while paying lip service to negotiations.

Many leading figures have called for a negotiated settlement. Normalcy seems unattainable if there is no clear road map to jump-start the talks.

The worrisome situation has intensified because the polarisation between the government and the PAD is deepening rather than dissipating.

The government is moving ahead with its plans to amend the charter, which it sees as the only way to overcome the turmoil despite the fact that the issue of a charter rewrite was the catalyst for the street protests.

The PAD is, in turn, considering moving beyond non-violence to apply pressure on individual politicians whom it sees as lackeys of the autocratic regime of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

PAD co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul has openly questioned whether non-violent tactics are enough to uproot the Thaksin regime. His ally, Chai-anan Samudvanija, wrote a newspaper article pointing to the possibility of applying pressure on politicians.

Last Tuesday's violent crackdown shocked the entire nation, but rival camps proved to be desensitised to the heavy casualties. Bloodshed should have led to a show of remorse, but this did not happen. Instead, the government and the PAD have engaged in a blame game, which has hardened their resolve to defeat each other.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has ignored calls for either his resignation or a House dissolution in order to allow a fresh start.

Somchai said he was sorry for the tragic loss of life and limb. But he argued in a televised speech on Sunday in favour of carrying on his job on the grounds that his departure would not end the turmoil.

Somchai has vowed to plough on with the formation of a Constitution Drafting Assembly (CDA) in charge of political reform. He remains vague on how to bring about political change, with the opposition Democrats and a large number of senators having boycotted the government's unilateral push.

In light of the opposition's boycott and the PAD's defiance, it is unlikely genuine reform will come to fruition.

If the CDA requires about seven months to complete its job, this might be the time granted for the government to tie up loose ends before calling a snap election.

Three coalition parties - People Power, Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya - need time to make the necessary arrangements to brace for electoral punishment by party dissolution.

Although national police chief General Patcharawat Wongsuwan may step down soon following next week's completion of a report on the tear-gas debacle, this will likely be seen as too little, too late to sway sentiment positively in favour of the government.

Even if a respected figure like chief royal adviser General Prem Tinsulanonda were to step in to mediate, it is uncertain whether the rival camps would heed his counsel. The political predicament will dissipate only if all sides genuinely respect the voice of the people and not try to listen only to the voices they want to hear.