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She was assigned by Pheu Thai party-list MP Chalerm Yoobamrung to take on the prime minister.

During the debate, Visaradee criticised Abhisit for failing to adhere to the democratic principles he espoused by including defecting MPs from the previous coalition in his government.

Pheu Thai organised the debate on January 5 at the Miracle Grand Hotel to allow opposition MPs to attack the government and its policy statement delivered on December 30 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Opposition MPs boycotted the event on grounds that it was not held at Parliament and they had not been properly informed about the abrupt change of venue.

The media have begun calling Visaradee the House's "rising star" for her impressive performance in the debate. Visaradee begs to differ, saying that as a first-term MP she still has lots to learn before reaching star status.

Her youth and pleasant personality had attracted the media spotlight even before the debate. The smile frequently on her face helped too: Visaradee's family nickname is Yim ("Smile").

Visaradee is the only daughter of Visarn Techathirawat, one of the 111 former executives of the now disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party who were stripped of their electoral rights for five years.

At 27, she is only one week older than the youngest female MP, Chinnicha Wongsawat, who is former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's daughter.

Visaradee graduated with a bachelor's degree in Economics from Australia's University of Wollongong and obtained her master's degree in International Affairs from the University of Northumbria in England.

Brushing aside suggestions she is her father's nominee, the young MP says she has dreamed of becoming a politician since childhood.

"My father is my inspiration. I remember when I was young he took me along with him when he visited his constituents. I told myself that one day I would be like him."

"But I didn't think my dream would come true so soon," she adds.

Visaradee had originally planned to work in business until the age of 30 or 40 before entering politics.

However, she considers her election as an MP an important turning point in her life. This, she says, is a good time to be in politics.

"It's very worthwhile for me. I'm a first-time MP during a period that has seen three prime ministers already."

Visarn reckons his rookie-MP daughter needs more time to hone her debating skills if she wants to live up to those "rising star of the House" headlines.

The banned politician says he's advised his daughter to make a trip to the Parliament library to borrow a few videos of debates by well-known female politicians of the past, such as Supatra Masdit, Sudarat Keyuraphan and Janista Liewchalermwong.

At first he was reluctant to support his daughter's move into politics, as he thought the career would make things difficult if she had a family of her own in the future.

He was also concerned she was too young to be thrown into the rough and tumble of politics.

Laying those concerns aside though, Visarn says he's proud of his daughter. At one time he expected her to survive for four or five years as an MP before moving on to something different. "But she's proved she can be a good politician for the long haul," he says.

"She is tolerant and tough, the basic qualities required in any politician."