General Anupong Paochinda, the army chief, met senior politicians before the vote to offer his advice, meetings that seem to have put the kibosh on last-ditch efforts by Mr Thaksin's allies to form their own government.
Thomas's early drop-goal put Leeds ahead, before Sale piled on the pressure with Thomas forced into a last-ditch tackle to deny prop Eifion Roberts a try.
His final-minute failures cost his team most recently against the Suns last month, when he put too much zest on a left-handed layup that would have tied the game with 25 seconds left.