Amidst the conflict between former prime minister and Thai Rak Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra and Wang Nam Yen faction leader Snoh Thienthong in 2005, Thaksin's younger sister rubbed salt in Snoh's wounds by criticising him as being old so he should let younger politicians work.

The wife of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat was a Thai Rak Thai party-list MP, and a leader of the party's Wang Bua Baan faction, one of the most powerful factions then. She was also an adviser to her brother- the then prime minister.

Although Yaowapa's voting right has been revoked when Thai Rak Thai was dissolved, more than 30 members of the faction are now in the People Power Party. The group is based in northern provinces.

The group includes deputy party leader Sompong Amornwiwat and the outspoken Surapong Towijakchaikul.

One of those who showed dissatisfaction against Yaowapa's criticism at that time was Supon Fongngam, now the caretaker deputy interior minister. Supon is one of the closest aides of Buriram's Newin Chidchob, whose rights have been revoked.

Therefore, opposition of Friends of Newin group against Somchai's premiership was not the First power play between the two groups.

On various occasions when the Thai Rak Thai Party MPs disagreed, Thaksin's wife Khunying Pojaman came to the rescue of the party. Likewise, Yaowapa exercised her charisma to mend rifts in the PPP.

Last month, when the PPP was shaken to its roots with 200 MPs signing up demanding the then prime minister Samak Sundaravej clarify letting police issue arrest warrant against Thaksin and Pojaman, Yaowapa and her sister Yingluck appeared at the party headquarters. It needed people with Thaksin's blood to summon respect from the MPs.

Somchai, however, said Yaowapa had nothing to do with politics as she just went to pay homage to the Buddha image at the headquarters. She just talked when she met the MPs whom she had been familiar with.

Yaowapa has also been powerful in business especially in telecommunication and properties. Her family owns and owned listed companies such as Wyncoast Industrial Park and Traffic Corner. She was the president of M Link.

There have been investigations into her family's businesses and her role in Thaksin's share concealment cases.

The bank account of her daughter Chinnicha was also frozen when the Assets Examination Committee investigated Thaksin's. Chinnicha is now a Chiang Mai MP.

Although Yaowapa said yesterday she would just take the role of a housewife, her role should not be underestimated.

Thaksin even admires Yaowapa's talent. He once mentioned that had Yaowapa been his brother, she would have had taken a ministerial post.

If Yaowapa was not banned from politics, it might have been her turn now to be Thailand's first female prime minister.