The Democrat Party might have been euphoric after its by-election victory over its chief rival Pheu Thai Party. But with a winning margin of less than 15,000 votes - 96,000 over 81,000 votes - out of 380,000 eligible voters in the constituency, it was a close shave.
The Democrats therefore, can claim no pride. If the New Politics Party had gone ahead with the contest, with a vote of around 20,000, that would certainly have catapulted the red-shirt candidate to victory and left the Democrats with red faces and a bruised ego.
Although unscathed, the Democrats must be fully convinced they are vulnerable to a loss if a general election is held in the near future. There are no encouraging signs, even if the poll takes place when the government's term expires next year.
If the Democrats are realistic, they should do away with their arrogance and the belief that the people will always stay with them when the other alternative is the faction fighting for Thaksin Shinawatra, who will use all means to win power.
True to form, the Democrats will have the next few days to boast about their popularity. But the election victory can only be considered symbolic because their rival candidate remains in prison and did not have a chance to speak to the electorate directly.
Still, there are ominous signs for all Thais, and reconciliation remains elusive despite the ongoing efforts by Prime Minister Abhisit to form committees to bring about some sort of compromise and political truce before the next general election.
Do not expect the Democrats to feel much gratitude toward the New Politics Party or the People's Alliance for Democracy, which jointly campaigned for people to vote for the Democrat candidate simply because they do not want the red shirts to gain leverage and a claim of popularity.
Still, it is a disturbing fact that at least 81,000 people voted for a red-shirt ringleader who spent over two months whipping up anti-government sentiment during illegal street rallies, which eventually led to the stockpiling of war weapons and armed clashes with troops.
All of these efforts were funded by political networks and cronies of Thaksin Shinawatra, who remains undaunted in his continuing attempt to topple the Abhisit government by hook or by crook. He celebrated his 61st birthday yesterday and his Twitter messages still encourage the red shirts and Pheu Thai to keep the home fires burning. Never mind the possible further rounds of terror and arson in the next confrontation.
The Democrats found their victory spoiled when a bomb exploded near the red shirts' former encampment site at Rajprasong. A man died, one was seriously injured, while others suffered cuts and minor wounds. The police have yet to come up with clues. The bomb blast reminded city people of the red-shirt terror at a time when the national trauma remains unhealed.
Of course, peace will never come as long as Thaksin remains a toxic figure in the political equation. He has hired teams of high-priced lobbyists, PR people and lawyers who work as campaigners, telling the world that Thaksin is good despite his status as a fugitive criminal with many legal charges still pending against him.
He has fled prosecution to voluntary exile and changed his citizenship to Montenegrin, Ugandan and Nicaraguan. His sinister games can never be underestimated as long as he controls a huge war chest from many sources of revenue, through investments and nominee stockholdings of blue-chip corporate entities.
Thaksin and his networks have been pressing the government to do away with the emergency decree so that they can revive the red-shirt movements and other campaigns to destabilise Abhisit, who will not be allowed to succeed in economic restoration and national security.
They might not need to put in much effort if the Thai delegate returns from Brazil with the bad news that the country has lost the Preah Vihear temple complex and neighbouring areas to Cambodia, if the World Heritage Commission accepts Hun Sen's version of the disputed border territories. This in addition, perhaps, to massive offshore petroleum resources.
The people will then find the national leader no longer fit to rule.