BANGKOK — Two rival political camps in Thailand are vying to form the next government following the dismissal by the Constitutional Court of Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister, with no early sign of which side has the upper hand.

What happened since the ruling?

Paetongtarn’s August 29 removal for an ethics violation triggered an instant flurry of activity, with her ruling coalition trying to show a united front, while Bhumjaithai — a renegade party that had quit her alliance in June — mounted a bid to form its own government.

Bhumjaithai’s ambitious leader Anutin Charnvirakul, 58, a former deputy premier, embarked on a whistle-stop lobbying spree across Bangkok to try to secure votes, tapping factions of coalition members and most notably the opposition People’s Party, the largest force in parliament.

Anutin stole the spotlight from Paetongtarn, with cameras following his every move. Within a few hours of the court decision, he declared he already had the votes.

Anutin’s offensive has presented a big challenge for Paetongtarn’s ruling Pheu Thai party and her billionaire father and seasoned political dealmaker Thaksin Shinawatra, the driving force behind her government.

Pheu Thai’s popularity has plunged in opinion polls, with disgruntlement and protests over its handling of an armed conflict with Cambodia and a sluggish economy, plus its failure to deliver on its signature THB10,000 baht (RM1,310) giveaway to tens of millions of people.

The Shinawatra dynasty’s once dominant populist party has lost some of its bargaining power and it is unclear whether Thaksin has sway with the key power-brokers in Thailand’s conservative establishment.

Both camps are confident they can each form a coalition government, but nothing is guaranteed. Many factors are still in play among the numerous parties, with histories of betrayal, scores to settle and allegiances to shore up or shift, in return for key cabinet portfolios or promises of an early election.